Born: 1964
Shadi Amin is an Iranian writer and activist known for her advocacy for women’s rights and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Born in 1964, Amin became politically active at a young age, opposing the rule of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 when she was only 14 years old. Her activism led to her being forced to leave Iran in the early 1980s.
Prior to her exile, Amin had to hide her sexuality in public due to the oppressive environment in Iran. However, she found freedom to express herself within her own family. In 1983, Amin fled Iran and made her way to Frankfurt, Germany, through Pakistan, Istanbul, and Berlin. She settled in Germany and has been living in exile ever since.
Throughout her career, Amin has focused on researching and exposing gender discrimination and systematic oppression against women, as well as the challenges faced by female homosexuals and transgender people in the Islamic Republic of Iran. She has published a book called Gender X, which delves into these issues. An English synthesis of her findings, titled Diagnosing Identities, Wounding Bodies, has also been published by Raha Bahreini.
Amin has conducted extensive research on LGBT individuals in Turkey and views the country as a place where Iranians can seek political asylum. She is a founding member of the Iranian Women’s Network Association (SHABAKEH) and currently serves as one of the coordinators of the Iranian Lesbian Network (6Rang). Through her role in 6Rang, Amin provides commentary on United Nations recommendations for human rights in Iran. She is also a co-founder of Justice for Iran, an organization advocating for human rights in Iran.
In 2000, Amin organized a protest at a conference in Berlin, speaking out against the conservative backlash occurring in Iran at the time. As a member of the Berlin Exiled Women of Iran Against Fundamentalism (BEWIAF), she and other members opened their black chadors to reveal slogans against the meeting and the Islamic Republic. The protest faced opposition from members of the audience, leading to police intervention.
Amin’s contributions to feminist scholarship were recognized when she won the 2009 Hammed Shahidian Critical Feminist Paper Award, which she shared with Golrokh Jahangiri. The award, named after the Iranian feminist scholar and professor Hammed Shahidian, supports critical examinations of Middle Eastern women’s studies. Amin used the award to further her research on political prisoners in Iran during the 1980s and the study of rape and sexual abuse. She presented her findings at the seminar The Political Prisoners, Beyond the Wall, the Word held in Toronto in 2011.
In 2012, Amin spoke at an event organized by Amnesty International ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHO). She continued her advocacy by participating in Turkey’s Gay Pride in 2013, as it was the closest location to Iran where a Pride event was hosted.
Shadi Amin’s dedication to the rights of women and the LGBTQ+ community in Iran and beyond has made her a prominent figure in the fight for equality and justice. Her role as an activist and writer has shed light on the challenges faced by marginalized groups and has helped create awareness and inspire change. Shadi Amin’s work continues to make a significant impact on society and contributes to the history of women’s rights in Iran.
Awards:
– 2009 Hammed Shahidian Critical Feminist Paper Award (shared with Golrokh Jahangiri)