The 2018 memoir, The Wind in My Hair, details an upbringing in Iran where the author writes that girls are raised to be as unobtrusive and meek as possible. Masih Alinejad, born Masoumeh Alinejad-Ghomikolayi in Qomi Kola in 1976, eventually transformed from a local journalist into a prominent figure advocating for Iranian women's rights.
Journalism in Iran
Alinejad began her professional writing career in 2001 at the daily newspaper Hambastegi. She subsequently worked for various publications including the Iranian Labour News Agency, Shargh, Bahar, and Etemad. While serving as a parliamentary reporter, her 2005 article regarding government bonuses paid to ministers led to her dismissal. In 2008, her critical piece titled Song of the Dolphins forced an apology from the newspaper director Mehdi Karroubi after she compared supporters of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to hungry animals.
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After traveling to the United States in 2009 to attempt an interview with Barack Obama, her visa expired, forcing her to relocate to the United Kingdom. She eventually settled in New York City. Alinejad's career continued through positions at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Radio Farda, Manoto television, and IranWire. Since 2015, she has hosted the Voice of America show Tablet, which features video content from inside Iran and highlights common themes between Iranian and American experiences.
Activism and Hijab Campaigns
Alinejad launched the Facebook campaign My Stealthy Freedom in 2014, inviting Iranian women to share photographs without the mandatory hijab. Between 2012 and 2019, she promoted several initiatives including White Wednesdays, My Camera Is My Weapon, and My Pen Is My Weapon. While she asserts that the hijab should be a matter of personal choice, her activism has faced significant opposition from the Iranian government, which has labeled those sharing protest videos with her as subjects for potential imprisonment.
Recognition and Legal Harassment
Her work has earned several honors, including the 2015 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy women's rights award and the American Jewish Committee's Moral Courage Award. Time magazine recognized her as an honoree for Women of the Year in 2023. Conversely, U.S. prosecutors have identified her as a target for kidnapping and assassination plots. In 2019, she initiated a lawsuit against the Iranian government in a U.S. federal court regarding harassment of her family.
Fast facts
- Born: 11 September 1976, Qomi Kola
- Citizenship: United States, United Kingdom, Iran
- Education: Oxford Brookes University
- Notable Book: The Wind in My Hair (2018)
- Notable Novel: A Green Date (2009)
- Languages: English, Persian, Mazanderani
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Alinejad's activism?
She primarily critiques human rights in Iran, specifically opposing the law requiring women to wear a hijab in public.
Where does Masih Alinejad currently reside?
She lives in exile in New York City.
