As a Canadian I straight out take for granted some of the rights and freedoms I have. I wake up every morning, choose my own clothes, do my hair, decide and who I want to love. It is not until recently when I heard the stories coming from the protests in Iran that made me realize how damn lucky I have it. Living in Iran during this time is truly a frightening experience for women. It is crazy to think that we live in an age where women are denied their fundamental liberties. And not just denied; abused, tortured, committed to silence. They are beaten for dressing in appropriately, married off as children, and often times killed for speaking out.

My friend watched her sister be torn from her family when she spoke out against the regime. She was told that she would never come home and eventually be sentenced to death. After having two little girls, my friend realized that she could not have her daughters grow up in such dark times and continue another generation of brain washing for women. Despite the fact that she felt so broken inside from all that happened to her sister, she found a strength inside her to escape to Canada. Years of suppression, fear, and sadness had turned into a fight for her daughters' basic rights and freedoms.

To this day she describes herself like gold. You can melt it, bend it, turn it into something different but it never loses its value. Gold like our self worth is precious and should never be taken for granted.

In dedication to the courageous women of Iran, you are precious like gold and deserve so much more.