Masih Alinejad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Masih Alinejad
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| مسیح علی نژاد | |
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Alinejad in 2018
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| Born |
Masoumeh Alinejad-Ghomikolayi
September 11, 1976 Qomi Kola, Babol, Imperial State of Iran
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| Nationality | Iranian |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Education | Oxford Brookes University |
| Occupation | Journalist and author |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Employer | U.S. Agency for Global Media |
| Spouse(s) |
Max Lotfi
(divorced)Kambiz Forouhar
(m. 2014) |
| Children | 1 |
Masih Alinejad (Persian: مسیح علینژاد, born Masoumeh Alinejad-Ghomikolayi (Persian: معصومه علینژاد قمیکُلایی), September 11, 1976) is an Iranian-American journalist, author, and activist for women's rights. She works for different news groups like Voice of America Persian News Network and Radio Farda. Alinejad often writes about human rights in Iran, especially the rights of women. Time magazine honored her as one of their Women of the Year in 2023.
She lives in exile in New York City. This means she lives outside her home country, Iran, because of her political views. She has won several awards for her work. In 2018, she wrote a book called The Wind in My Hair. It talks about her childhood in Iran, where she says girls are taught to be quiet and not stand out. U.S. officials have said that the Iranian government has tried to kidnap or harm her.
Contents
Early Life and Journalism
Masih Alinejad was born as Masoumeh Alinejad. She chose the first name "Masih," which means "anointed" or "Messiah" in Persian. From a young age, she was interested in politics. In 1994, she was arrested for making flyers that criticized the government.
Alinejad started her journalism career in 2001. She first worked for a local newspaper called Hambastegi. Later, she wrote for the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA). Her articles also appeared in other newspapers like Shargh and Bahar.
Reporting on Government
Alinejad was a reporter for the Iranian parliament. In 2005, she wrote an article that caused a stir. She reported that government ministers were getting large "bonuses" even though they said they took pay cuts. This article led to her being removed as a parliamentary reporter.
In 2008, Alinejad wrote a strong article called "Song of the Dolphins." In it, she compared followers of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to dolphins. She said they would perform tricks for food from their trainer. This made some of Ahmadinejad's supporters very angry. The director of the newspaper, Mehdi Karroubi, had to apologize publicly.
Life Outside Iran
In 2009, Alinejad visited the United States. She tried to interview President Barack Obama but was not able to. When her visa ended, she had to go back to the United Kingdom. While in the U.S., she joined protests against the Iranian government. She gave a speech in San Francisco, telling Iranian authorities, "We have trembled for thirty years, now it is your turn to tremble."
Her interview with Voice of America was shown with videos she had made. In 2010, she helped start the "IranNeda" foundation with other Iranian writers. She also published a novel called A Green Date after the 2009 presidential election in Iran. Alinejad studied Communications at Oxford Brookes University.
Activism and Campaigns
Masih Alinejad is well-known for her work against the Iranian government's rules. She especially focuses on women's rights.
Speaking Out for Women
In 2014, Alinejad started a Facebook page called My Stealthy Freedom. She invited Iranian women to share photos of themselves without a hijab. A hijab is a head covering worn by some Muslim women. In Iran, women must wear a hijab in public. The page quickly became very popular around the world.
In 2015, she won the women's rights prize at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. She was honored for "giving a voice to the voiceless" and helping people care about Iranian women's fight for basic rights. In 2022, she received the Moral Courage Award from the American Jewish Committee.
Alinejad says she is not against the hijab itself. She believes that wearing it should be a personal choice for women. In Iran, women who do not wear a hijab in public can be arrested and fined.
Her Journalism Work
Since 2015, Alinejad has hosted a weekly show called Tablet for Voice of America's Persian service. The show features videos from inside Iran. It connects ordinary Iranian people with Americans through short interviews. The program also looks at how issues like women's rights have developed over time.
In 2019, Iranian authorities warned people not to send videos to Alinejad. They said that anyone sharing protest videos with her could face up to 10 years in prison. This was under laws about working with an "enemy of the state."
Anti-Compulsory Hijab Campaign
Alinejad has strongly criticized Iran's laws that force women to wear a hijab outside their homes. She sees the hijab as a main symbol of how women are treated in Iran. She believes it represents a lack of freedom.
From 2012 to 2019, Alinejad started several campaigns. These included #WhiteWednesdays and #MyCameraIsMyWeapon. These campaigns encouraged people to join the movement against the mandatory hijab in Iran.
Some people support Alinejad's campaign because they see the hijab as a sign of women's oppression. However, other groups have different views. Some worry that the campaign might create negative ideas about Muslim women. Alinejad says she is not against Islam. She believes that strict religious laws are what scare her.
After a mosque shooting in New Zealand in 2019, Alinejad criticized New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. Ardern wore a hijab to show support for the Muslim victims. Alinejad felt that using the hijab, which is a symbol of oppression for some Muslim women, for solidarity was upsetting.
Chess Championship Boycott
In 2016, Alinejad started a campaign to boycott the 2017 women's chess world championship. The event was planned for Tehran, Iran. A chess player named Nazí Paikidze refused to go because female players would be forced to wear a hijab. Alinejad supported Paikidze. She wrote an article with Asra Nomani in The Washington Post about the issue.
Meeting with U.S. Officials
In February 2019, Masih Alinejad met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Secretary Pompeo thanked her for her courage and dedication. Alinejad said they talked about three main things. First, many Iranians want the current government to change. Second, the world should focus on human rights problems in Iran. Third, she said that U.S. travel bans hurt human rights activists and students.
Women, Life, Freedom Movement
During the Mahsa Amini protests, there was an internet shutdown in Iran. This made it hard for protesters to communicate. Key Iranian opposition figures living outside Iran formed a group. This group included Masih Alinejad. They used news channels like BBC and Iran International to share their message. They became leaders of the movement.
The protests continued for several months. Later, the group of leaders itself broke apart.
Awards and Honors
Masih Alinejad has received many awards for her important work.
Awards Received
- AIB Media Excellence Award for "Victims of 88" (2013)
- Women's Rights Award at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy (2015)
- Freethinker Prize by Swiss Freethinkers Association (2017)
- America Abroad Media award (2019)
- Moral Courage Award by American Jewish Committee (AJC) (2022)
- Oxi Courage Award for her fight against Iran's forced hijab (2022)
- Scholar-Statesman Award by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (2022)
- Global Impact Award (2022)
Other Recognitions
- Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her work for women's rights in Iran (2022)
- Named one of Time Magazine's 12 Women of the Year (2023)
Books by Masih Alinejad
Alinejad's memoir, The Wind in My Hair, was published in 2018. A memoir is a book about a person's life experiences. Her book tells her story from a small village in Iran to becoming a journalist. It also describes how she started an online movement that led to protests across Iran. The New York Times said her book gives a clear picture of modern Iran. They noted it was written with "blunt honesty."
She has also written four books in Persian:
- Tahasson – This book describes the political challenges when the "Sixth Iranian Parliament" went on strike.
- Taj-e-Khar (The Crown of Thorns) – This is a novel that is being translated into English. It refers to the crown of thorns placed on Christ's head.
- I am Free – This book talks about women's issues in Iran. It was published in Germany because Iran's censorship body did not allow it.
- Gharar Sabz (Green Rendezvous) – This book is about the violence after the 2009 presidential election. It was also published in Germany for the same reasons.
See also
In Spanish: Masih Alinejad para niños
- Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist
- Islamic Revolution
- Islamic Revolutionary Court
- Theocracy
- Pouria Zeraati
