When Michele heard Naseem speak at a luncheon about her work in
Iran, she knew immediately that this was a woman we needed to meet.
Naseem had the stories we longed to hear. Naseem was gracious to us,
but from the beginning she had a difficult time with our interview. She
confessed as much: “You must not speak against anyone’s religion. It is
not that I don’t want to tell you the stories. But how can I be certain
you will not put anyone at risk?”
Naseem has good reason to fear. A quick Internet survey on Iran
finds extremism and conditions that raise concerns for women and girls
— actually, for everyone who lives there. Police sweep through Tehran,
looking for anyone who appears “too Western.” Women must wear dark
layers of loose-fitting clothes, and their hair must be entirely
covered. Those who question or resist are arrested on the spot.
