LBTI Women's Month Interviews - Part 2

For the month of March, we asked colleagues about women’s rights and the LBTI women that inspire them.

Our second interview is with Amir Ashour, executive director of Iraqueer" who joined us on a panel at SXSW Interactive about international LGBTIQ human rights last week and took the time to answer interview questions for the International Women's Month.

OutRight: Which LBTI woman inspires you?

Amir Ashour: Women like Jessica Stern and Lisa Davis had a crucial impact on my personal and professional growth. They don’t only break the norms for what women can do, but they are also setting the standards so high for any person and motivate us to always believe in our goals and aspire to achieve them. But I’ve been also extremely inspired by the Lesbian and Bisexual members we have at IraQueer, young women who are pushing every limit for what women from Iraq/KurdistanRegion can do. They don’t only believe in standing up for who they are, but they are also standing up for others and setting an amazing example for our generation.

OutRight: How do you think we can improve LBTI women’s rights around the world, especially in regards to economic empowerment?

Amir Ashour: LBTI individuals need to be an active part every decision making process whether in private or public sectors. Not only because they are affected by those decisions, but also because they represent a huge talent that will directly contribute to economical and social growth.

OutRight: What will be the biggest challenge for the generation of LBTI women behind you?

Amir Ashour: Having people who don’t identify as LBTI answer this question for them is the biggest challenge in my opinion. This question must only be answered by individuals from this group.