VIDEO: Dr Nina Ansary speaks about the Iranian women’s movement

Leaving her native Iran as a young girl on the cusp of the Iranian revolution, Dr Nina Ansary moved to the United States to start a new life. But her roots in Iran were too strong to be erased, and so after completing her PhD in History at Columbia University, a quest to turn a spotlight onto the achievements of women from contemporary Iranian society to yesteryear became intrinsic to her humanitarian calling. Named by Women’s E-news as being one of the 21 leaders of the 21st century, her social media presence and positive message are influencing greater audiences in both Iran and the West. 

Ansary’s message is clear: despite the tug of war Iranian women have faced historically in their struggle for full emancipation, they will continue their fight for gender equality, no matter what obstacles are thrown their way. Her upcoming book, The Jewels of Allah, aims at deconstructing the limited and typical stereotypes common in Western narratives. Ansary speaks to Middle East Eye about the Women’s Movement gaining ground in Iran, opposing forces dominating Iranian society, and her advice to Iranian leaders on how they should take a cue from Gwenyth Paltrow and Chris Martin and “consciously uncouple,” and much more.