Exclusive interview with Nina Smart: If you're silent, what you care about will sink

Nina Smart, the first time she heard it, thought the name was bright and powerful. And indeed, she herself is. That day, Nina Smart, dressed in a western white fishtail dress with fluffy curly hair, smiled and greeted us warmly.

"I can't wait to share my story with you. As soon as you sit down, Nina Smart says. Her eyes were bright and infectious.

I noticed that she was holding a book, Wild Flower: The True Story of a Romanian Girl in Africa, (Wild Flower -The True Story of A Romanian Girl in Africa). It was Nina's memoir, writing about herself, and the issue she has devoted to and advancing over the decades: female genital mutilation FGM.

"This issue is not a good one to talk about. Nina Smart admits that sometimes it's hard to understand. Even today, there may not be a lot of people who know what an FGM is.

In 1991, the world and society were silent about gender and women's rights. In silence, Nina Smart fired her first shot at terminating the FGM, breaking the squeal.

At that time, there was no resource spending on the issue with financial aid. FGM is a "well-known secret", but no one dares to mention it. "The FGM is terrible, it's a serious violation of human rights and it's a violation of women's bodies. Nina Smart shook her head.

Whatever your gender, please let us work together.

Nina Smart was lucky to escape the FGM at the age of 19, but it didn't really happen. Years later, she studied sociology in California, california, and she realized how terrible she had been going through.

"The FGM is a women's issue at first glance, but at the bottom of it is a violation of human rights. Even it has nothing to do with politics or ecology. With a slight frown, Nina Smart's tone was firm and her index finger was outstretched, "It's so important that it should be seen internationally." 」

As a result, in 2004, Nina Smart founded the International Service Wild Flowers, which draws attention to The FGM issue through speeches, events and substantive assistance. There is also the FGM Survivors' Safe House, which promotes human rights education for women and children.

Whether girls or boys, it is important to teach children gender equality from an early age. "A boy must learn how to respect his sister or other girls. Girls and boys are not binary opposites, no one has to be strong or gentle. "They are as clever as they are. A girl should also be encouraged to do whatever she is interested in. 」

To implement this ideal, we must first end the FGM that harms a woman's body.

There are many things that we have to work on. The world is so big that if the goal is to promote change, then we have to move in the same direction first.

Some would argue that they want to end the FGM because it looks at it in the eyes of Western hegemony and does not respect the culture of third world countries. In the face of such questions, Nina Smart has interviewed 100 local women about FGM, "and they really want to" stop the FGM. They want to say no, they don't want to experience it. 」

"We want to break the silence. It's not just women, men need to pay attention; not just in West Africa, the whole world has to be together. Nina Smart

The more we break the silence, the better the chance we have to find a solution.

Nina Smart hands her fists and taps at each other, figuring out the intersection of the parties. I found that she liked to use her hands and expressions to compare, so she often can feel her emotions and spirit.

Gender education tells us how to speak Out

How does female circumcision be carried out? Usually a "circumcist" knife, cut the girl's genitals. Depending on the degree, it may be a partial or entire clitoris, or a small labia and a large labia.

Many of the girls, who died in FGM, died of this improper and imperceptifying operation. "But they can't say it. Nina Smart said this, pausing, as if waiting for us to digest and absorb, and perhaps she was combing through how to communicate it better.

At the moment, my inner instinct is to think of gender education. Growing up, we often had nothing to say. This silence, apart from fear or uneasiness, is also because we know almost nothing about physical autonomy or gender issues. Adults do not speak, school does not teach, some things happen, no one resists and disagrees. It was not until a long time later that we finally understood what was working on us at the time. This is very uncomfortable, because after all, still understand that it is too late, clearly can be stopped earlier.

"The only way is through education, from an early age. After a slow start, Nina Smart opens her mouth again.

Her answer is very similar to what I thought. What happened in West Africa, and what Taiwan is trying to do, echoes each other.

So we can understand that gender equality knows no borders, like this WCWS (World Conference on Women's Asylum Placement), the ultimate goal of feminism, is to change and create, and we want everyone to have a place to live in their own right.

Nina Smart is positive about education. "If they are willing to listen to us and are willing to accept education, they will have the courage to reject the knife. 」

Everything happens, and it has its meaning.

In fact, before Nina Smart launched her anti-FGM initiative, she was an American fashion designer. I remember when she first moved to the Us, she wanted to forget everything about the past, so she didn't tell anyone about the FGM. She went to fashion school and later became a designer for Barbie, "And in some people's eyes, I really realized the so-called "American Dream." Turning up the volume, she continued, "But I found i wasn't happy." 」

"I feel like I'm running away from what." Although at the moment, I really don't know what it is. Nina Smart felt something was wrong, as if hidden in her heart, "so I decided to go back to school and continue to learn and explore." 」

The original "what" is the past to act on her, and she is too late to understand and inquire about things.

Nina Smart smiled. "Everyone thinks I'm crazy because I've been successful. I asked her if she ever regretted making the decision.

"No, I never regret it. Nina Smart replied firmly. "But! Soon, she flashed a mysterious smile, "When the Barbie designer, it was an unexpected help to push the anti-FGM work later." 」

She made a name for herself in the fashion industry, and she took the opportunity to speak and advocate.

In 2011, the Romanian government decided to award Nina Smart an honor, the Romanian American Celebrities Award. In fact, when she was awarded for "fashion", she seemed to have nothing to do with the human rights issues she was most concerned about, but she did not refuse, but thought about how to make good use of this resource. "If I become a celebrity, I can use this platform to appeal and advocate what I care about." 」

Your story, it's up to you.

My eyes moved to the table of the book that Nina Smart brought in. On the cover it says "Wild Flower", wildflowers, which, to my instituation, are indomitable. When asked about the book, Nina Smart smiled excitedly, as if she had been preparing for it for a long time.

"When it comes to this book, you know, a lot of people are interested in it. Nina Smart exhaled, "but what it tells is actually a painful story." 」

"I wrote these stories in the hope that someone would be brave enough to face the challenge. She used to love writing, and much of this memoir comes from her diary. "It's important because a lot of girls have experienced these fears, " he said. 」

Each of us has our own story. We overcome shame, we embrace courage, we are indestructible.

Nina Smart thinks it makes sense to publish a book or write a research paper. Through the power of communication, The voice of the people to lead, let more people know that there are many things in this world worthy of our attention. I think the same is true of women fans as a gender media, with a nod to the heart.

We share Nina Smart's pursuit of gender equality, working only in different areas. The occupation is different, the ambition is no different, the general feeling is a little moved and warm.

You have your true life, and you can always influence others.

For Nina Smart, having a better tomorrow requires breaking the silence, from initiatives, organizations, to volunteering and writing books, something she herself continues to do.

"In order to create a pluralistic society, we need to work together to respect each other's differences and give encouragement to each other. As Nina Smart has been emphasizing: the issue of women is human rights. If you want a gender-equal society, let's work together to make a difference.

Postscript

At the end of the interview, Nina Smart signed the book's title page and wrote it for Womany, which she sent to us sincerely.

She kept smiling as she took the picture, and we praised her for smiling well, saying, "There are too many painful things in the world." When you can laugh, laugh. I listen a little sad and sad, but I think, because this is not a good enough world, we always know that there are many things, worthy of our efforts and change.