Homa Hoodfar has been writing about women and gender for years and has paid a hefty price for it.
On International Women’s Day in 2016, Hoodfar was in her native country Iran. She was scheduled to go home the next day but she never made her flight to Montreal.
READ MORE: Who is Homa Hoodfar?
The Iranian government arrested her. They told her it was for “dabbling in feminism and security issues.”
Hoodfar says that’s a crime that doesn’t even exist.
The Concordia University professor and author spent 121 days in captivity before finally being released.
Today, Hoodfar and her life’s work will be tied to the struggles that women still face all over the world.
For International Women’s Day we asked Hoodfar five things that Global News readers may find interesting and even inspiring.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
“It’s a day for us to remember the history and look to see what we have to do for the future.”
Who is a woman you admire, dead or alive?
“Olympe De Gouges,” Hoodfar said without hesitation.
“She remains my favourite. She lived more than 200 years ago but we still have a lot to learn from her,” Hoodfar said.
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And if you look into the French feminist’s life, you can draw a few parallels between the two women.
De Gouges was considered one of the first women to fight for equal rights.
She began her writing career as a playwright. But as political tensions rose in France at the gates of the French Revolution, her writing became more and more political, advocating for slaves’ rights and later for women’s égalité to be recognized like men’s.
“She wanted to include women in citizens’ rights. Then she was beheaded for the crime of wanting to be an estate man.”
At the time, Hoodfar explained, women couldn’t become full citizens. The reasoning? They didn’t go to war and “had no imagination.”
“The struggles to become an equal citizen go way back,” Hoodfar remarked.
What does Iran mean to you?
“It’s a home where I learned to be a woman and a full citizen. I also learned that I have to stand for the rights that I’m denied.”
At 19 years old, Hoodfar left Iran to study and was away during the time of Iran’s “Islamic Revolution,” when the Ayatollah Khomeini imposed the Shari’ah Law and made hijabs obligatory, among other rules.
Upon her return years later, she found a country she no longer recognized.
READ MORE: Iranian minister defends hijab laws, compares them to public nudity laws in global cities
“The second time I went, it was like going from a colour movie to a black-and-white one.”
“Yes, I felt at home with the culture but at the same time, I felt like a stranger,” Hoodfar said.
Her biggest accomplishments
Having written seven books and surviving jail time in Iran, Hoodfar’s biggest accomplishment she says is simple: “Not having any regrets,” she said.
READ MORE: Freed Canadian-Iranian professor Homa Hoodfar arrives in Montreal
Her advice to young women
“I think they should learn about their history and protect the rights they have gained as they struggle for rights they are denied,” Hoodfar reflected.
“Life has involved me in this process, it wasn’t always my choice but now it’s part of my life. I’m proud to be part of the struggle and stand up for the rights of all women.”
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