Amna Suleiman
Amna Suleiman | |
---|---|
Born | 1981 or 1982 (age 41–42)[1] |
Occupation | Teacher |
Known for | Cycling |
Amna Suleiman (
Suleiman was born in Damascus, Syria and moved to Gaza in 1990s.[2] As of 2016 she was living in
Role in women's cycling
In the region where Amna Suleiman cycles, the
Women's participation in sports has been restricted in the Gaza strip since the Hamas party came to power. According to Ahmad Muheisin, an official in Gaza’s youth and sports ministry office, women's cycling is considered to be a “violation” of Gazan values.[2] Some have noted that it was more common for women to ride bikes in Gaza before the mid-1980s.[2]
Suleiman advocates for women to continue riding bicycles after puberty, and has been quoted in The New York Times telling young women in Gaza that they should insist to their future husbands permission to cycle be a condition of their marriage.[2] In 2016 she was profiled by BBC News as part of their BBC 100 Women series. She says she hopes that one day women will be able ride a bicycle without stigma and disapproval.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "100 Women 2016: The woman defying Gaza's biking 'ban'", BBC News, 26 November 2016, retrieved 8 December 2016
- ^ a b c d e f g AL WAHEIDI, MAJD; HADID, DIAA, eds. (22 February 2016). "In Gaza, Bicycles Are a Battleground for Women Who Dare to Ride". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.