Exilium

Sanaz grew up in 1980s Iran, just after the 1979 Revolution. After struggling with strict family and social expectations and an emotionally distant mother, she left her hometown and family behind to study at the University of Tehran. There, she slowly came to terms with her queerness while also navigating complex family dynamics, childhood trauma, and gender based violence. She left Tehran to pursue an academic career in Isfahan, which brought a new set of challenges that ultimately forced her into self-exile. In a world unkind to women, Sanaz holds fast to her beliefs, even when they make life more difficult for her.