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It was our first disappointment with the new post-revolution rulers of Iran. This turned out to be the last day women walked the streets of Tehran uncovered. I knew I had witnessed something historic. When the day was over, I ran home to develop them in my dark room. My first thought was: “It’s my responsibility to document this.” I’m rather small, so I was ducking in and out of the crowd, constantly taking photos. I wanted to join in all the protests during the revolution, but I knew I had to go as a photographer. People were so happy – I remember a group of nurses stopping some men in a car and telling them: “We want equality, so put on some scarves, too!” Everyone laughed.

The Iranian revolution had taught us that if we wanted something, we should go out into the street and demand it. You can see in their faces they felt joyful and powerful. Everyone was happy for me to take their picture. I was walking beside this group of women, who were talking and joking.

This was taken at the beginning of the demonstration. We were fighting for freedom: political and religious, but also individual. It was a huge demonstration with women – and men – from all professions there, students, doctors, lawyers. Many people in Tehran went on strike and took to the streets. This was taken on 8 March 1979, the day after the hijab law was brought in, decreeing that women in Iran would have to wear scarves to leave the house. Some nurses stopped some men in a car and said: We want equality – so put some scarves on too! As far as they were concerned, photographers worked weddings and tourist spots. When I said my profession was “photographer”, my friends and family would laugh. It was seen as a strange thing for women to do. Back then, there were only four or five female photographers in Iran.