When I remembered that today was International Women’s Day, I immediately thought of Tahirih.
Tahirih was a 19th century poet and religious scholar, renowned for both her beauty and her intelligence. She was one of the first followers of the Báb, the forerunner to Bahá’u’lláh (the founder of the Bahá’í Faith), and she’s one of the religion’s great heroines. She was ultimately executed for refusing to give up her faith, and I can never tell the story of her final words without tearing up: “You can kill me as soon as you like, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women!”
It’s not uncommon for Bahá’í parents to name their daughters after Tahirih, either as a first or middle name, and when I first became a Bahá’í, I actually felt a little jealous that I hadn’t been named after this impressive woman. But, as it turns out, I was. Sort of.
Let me explain.
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