Back to Nadia. Becoming a "boy" for survival in Afghanistan

Description

Returning from the hospital after the suicide bombing that killed her brother, eleven-year-old Nadia has an epiphany: she will pretend to be a boy, assuming her brother's identity and name in order to support her family. In Taliban-ruled Afghanistan where women and girls are not allowed to work outside the home, Nadia spends eleven years masquerading as her brother Esmerai before ultimately escaping to Europe and reclaiming her identity as a female. Back to Nadia is the fascinating story of gender and personal transformation in a society that leaves women with few options for freedom and autonomy.

Runtime

53 min

Subjects

Geography

Genre

Date of Publication

2011

Database

Alexander Street

Direct Link