I remember stepping foot into the Imam Khomeini International
The next day, I had the opportunity to delve deeper into the
Airport in Tehran and instantly experiencing the sweet feeling of
complex role of women in Iran. I interviewed Vice President
affinity. Amidst my own thoughts whirled the surrounding voices
Masoumeh Ebtekar. She was the first female to serve as Vice
of passengers and security staff speaking in Farsi. I understood
President of Iran, and she participated in the first cabinet since
every word. I eagerly scanned the crowd of families waiting
the Islamic Revolution to include women. Ebtekar.also heads the
behind a glass wall, until I spotted my grandmother in the corner,
Department of Environment that emphasizes awareness and
standing gracefully with her long, black chador, holding a bouquet
activism in civil society. Our conversation spanned a wide variety
of white lilies for our arrival. Her green eyes barely visible beneath
of topics, but I was so curious about the role of women in society
the cloth sparkled with tears. I was home. At that moment, I
in the transition from monarchy to the contemporary Islamic
began the most transformative summer of my life; it opened my
Republic. Ebtekar.r reasoned that Ayatollah Khomeini had been a
eyes to the complexities of the world and also fortified and
progressive force who had opened opportunities for women. I
confirmed my CSG education.
was taken aback at her statement, since I had known through my
I had visited Iran before, but this time I was on a mission, keen for answers to questions about my own culture that have dogged me for years. My AP Comparative Government class had prepared me with information, but I aimed to actualize my studies and penetrate the mysteries of a closed theocratic government. I hoped that this would help me understand the intricate dimensions of the lives of my family. My parents grew up in Iran. Their lives consisted of busy, six-day school weeks, saffron tea and ice cream, Friday prayers at the mosque, and morning Qur’an recitation. The Shahinfar Hospital in Mashhad, named after my great uncle, still stands today. Although my parents adopted a new lifestyle in the United States, they never abandoned the Iranian traditions that characterized their identities. Values such as “taarof,” or mannerly politeness, along with emphasis on familial unity and self-respect, have remained intact throughout my upbringing. Each time I visit, I am reminded of another part of me, a part that is connected to this authentic Iranian culture. Yet, whenever I walk down the streets, I seem foreign. I’ve lived a completely different life, where I choose what I want to wear in public, where I do not carry the burden of preserving the honor of my family. But Iranian women are bold. They are classy, confident, and valiant in their management of ambition and restriction. The typical young college student walks, chin held high with her fashionable, street style cloak and matching scarf, styling her hair so her luscious bangs freely flow from underneath as she nods her head. This could have been me… had my parents remained in Iran. In fact, later on that night I had a conversation with my cousin, who was the same age as I. She was shocked when I told her that I pray five times a day, fast during the month of Ramadan, and wear a headscarf in America. She couldn’t see why anyone would engage Islamic requirements when it wasn’t part of the law. I saw at that moment the difference between two cultures. I observe hijab because I choose to do so, while her freedom is tied to
studies and conversations within my family that he was a constraining force. And yet, Ebtekar. argued that his message to the people as a revolutionary leader and religious authority, preached that education formed a moral duty for all, encouraging women to obtain knowledge and enter the public sphere. Women in Iran today are doctors, engineers, journalists, activists, and yes, even drivers. In many ways, this is a land of contradictions, modern yet traditional, free yet controlled, enjoined yet apart. I took this experience with me to the International Affairs and Security session of the Yale Young Global Scholars program. There I encountered a young woman who asked me about my Iranian background. She wanted to know whether the 1979 Revolution truly helped improve the lives of women. I finally had an answer. Her questions stimulated my own continuing inquiry into the complexities of identity and the dimensions of my Iranian heritage. As my world gets larger, I come closer to the definition of self. As I read, write, meet new people, and immerse in intellectually stimulating discussions at school and beyond, I begin to see who I am—what makes me smile, what concerns me, what motivates me to grow. CSG has been there all along. *Note: Mina wrote a piece for the Columbus Dispatch’s First Person Forum column that further explores her decision to wear hijab. Read it in the News section of our homepage at www.columbusschoolforgirls.org. Hi, I’m Mina, and I am a senior at CSG. Outside of the classroom, I am a member of the field hockey team, co-editor-in-chief of the Upper School newspaper, Silhouette, and contributor to the Audacity literary magazine. I love to write, travel, play piano, spend time with family, and indulge in ice cream and global politics. In the future, I hope to enhance my understanding of Mina Shahinfar ’17 the world and possibly pursue a career in international relations. My experience at CSG as shown me the power of my own thoughts, effective leadership qualities, and the beauty of learning. I cannot thank my teachers enough for supporting me every step of the way.
rejection of compulsory observation. FORTE ET GRATUM • AUTUMN/WINTER 2016
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