I've Been Bullied
on Feb 07, 2012
Last week I have the pleasure of meeting Marina Nemat, an inspirational Canadian author whose story is something from a movie. I had learned of her while driving home from shopping, she was being interviewed on CBC Radio. Once I got home, I found her facebook fan page and three weeks later she was in my living room for a shoot :-D Thankfully CBC had flown her to my city for a book signing.
Marina Nemat's story is a tad different from the rest of our other bully life stories. Marina was never bullied as a child or teenager, but instead she has faced bullying as an adult. Growing up in Tehran, Iran, Marina says her all girl school was very loving and accepting, that is until the Islamic Revolution of 1979. At 16 years old she decided to stand up for her rights to continue gaining a proper eduction as a woman in Iran; which consequently landed her in jail as a political prisoner. Tortured for two years and awaiting the death penalty, Marina was forced to marry her guard to save her own life; until she was freed at 18 years old.
Today Marina lives in Toronto, Ontario Canada and has become extremely well known for her novel, Prisoner of Tehran, A Memoir. MacLean’s Magazine has called it “…one of the finest (memoirs) ever written by a Canadian.” But despite the books international bestseller stature, she has received countless attacks against her speaking out. Between being called a 'LIAR', 'TRAITOR' AND 'WHORE', she has received death threats and can no longer return to her home country. Marina has TWO death sentence convictions on her head currently, (one for political reasons; for leaving Iran and never returning and the other for renouncing the religion she was once forced to accept while living in prison.)
Although Marina has literally risked her life speaking out about the executions of her many friends, plus the torture and abuse she, and many others faced; she is glad she is doing it. Some times standing up for yourself and others has it's consequences, but Marina continues to show her strength. This April a play will launch in Toronto under the same name as her book and she is also currently in works to start filming for a movie.
