“My ex-husband discovered that I helped my daughters leave Iran. I had to flee next.”

After landing in Saskatoon, I worked long shifts as a security guard to survive

Marzieh Tohidi

IN 1978, MY PARENTS ARRANGED MY MARRIAGE. At 16 years old, I stood across from my new husband in my father’s house and became a wife. I was forced to leave school in Grade 9. Five years later, soon after I gave birth to our third daughter, my husband left me for another woman because I couldn’t bear him a son. I was still married to him, with few financial prospects, so some mothers in the neighbourhood raised money to send me to hairdresser school. They said, “Once you finish, we will be your customers.” I was thrilled: styling hair made me happy, and I found community at the salon. I re-entered high school at 23 years old, and the courses introduced me to Christianity. One Sunday morning I went to…

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Maclean's (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2023

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