"Finding Bibi" Bridges the Divide Between East & West

categories: Global Feminism, Media, Pop Culture

Published September 08, 2009 @ 04:08PM PT

A Twitter friend passed along this inspiring trailer today called Finding Bibi - a documentary by Bita Haidarian, an award-winning Iranian American filmmaker who sets off on a journey around the world to answer the big questions - "who am I, where do I come from, and where can a girl find a good laser hair removalist?"

Born in America to Baha'i refugee parents from Iran, Bita tells the tragic-comic story of her family coming to America, her childhood in Texas, trying to fit in, and even the experience of competitive cheer leading. In her film, Bita goes from ‘Tehrangeles' where Iranian girls get their noses re-shaped in posh Beverly Hills, to the garment district of LA where she cut her teeth in the fashion industry, to high society London where veiled women take lessons on how to secure a husband.

Finding Bibi smashes worldwide stereotypes about women in the Middle East and is simultaneously a clarion call for the emancipation of women around the world.

I suggest you watch the trailer and become inspired yourself:

You can join the movement on Facebook, follow it on Twitter, subscribe to blog posts, and share it with your friends. They also want to hear your side of the story – what is inspiring you, pissing you off, making you laugh – about straddling two cultures, about being a woman seeking empowerment or trying to make things right. You can also donate to help Finding Bibi become an official nonprofit dedicated to bridging the divide between women in the Middle East and the U.S.

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Author

Jen Nedeau is a social media consultant, progressive activist, feminist speaker and writer. She currently lives in New York City, where she works full-time as the Director of Digital Strategy at Air America Media. In August 2008, Nedeau was selected to be the Editor of the WomensRights.Change.Org where she facilitates daily discussion about the feminist movement. Additionally, Nedeau volunteers as the Chief Technology Officer for New Leaders Council, a non-profit that offers exclusive training for young leaders. You can follow her on Twitter @HumanFolly or learn more here: www.jennedeau.com.