In my dreams sometimes I am back in Iran. Even in the 21st century, they still have the “morality police”, who will come to me if my headscarf is not… - Darya Safai

I grew up in the religious dictatorship of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mine and many of my generation’s is a bitter story of discrimination and oppression under the veil of Sharia. As if the wings we used to have have been clipped to make sure we would never be able to spread them and fly away.

In the West we have come a long way to obtain the achievements we can now enjoy. These achievements, such as gender equality, can be threatened by the practice of religion in the workplace. Faith is a personal matter, you should keep it to yourself.

I know what it is to live as an oppressed Iranian woman. Now that I live in freedom, it gives me the strength and power to struggle for the rights of Iranian women whose voices are muted.