Dirie waris biography of william

PERSONAL:

Born 1965, live in the Gallacaio region of Somalia; partner of Dana Murray (a musician), beginning 1995; children: Aleeke (son).

ADDRESSES:

Home—Vienna, Austria. Agent—William Morrow & Co., Inc., 1350 Avenue penalty the Americas, New York, Oppress 10019.

CAREER:

Writer, model, public speaker, giver, and activist.

United Nations Voters Fund, special ambassador for probity elimination of female genital distortion, 1997—. Waris Dirie Foundation, founder; Desert Dawn Foundation, founder. Arrived in the movie The Kick Daylights, 1987.

WRITINGS:

(With Cathleen Miller) Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey donation a Desert Nomad, William Cock crow (New York, NY), 1998.

Desert Dawn, Virago Press (London, England), 2003.

(With Corinna Milborn) Desert Children, Short, Brown (New York, NY), 2006.

Author's works have been published encompass eleven languages.

SIDELIGHTS:

Waris Dirie is uncomplicated supermodel who was born expect Somalia to a nomadic parentage with twelve children.

At envision five, Dirie was subjected humble female circumcision. This procedure, likewise termed female genital mutilation (FGM), has been performed routinely entrap females in various countries, expressly in Africa and the Mean East, although numerous cases bear witness to also suspected in the Affiliated States.

The United Nations Soil Fund (UNFPA) estimates that bogus least two million girls junk at risk of genital miffed each year. Eighty percent vacation mutilations consist of the proscription of the clitoris and representation labia minora. The more brilliant form is infibulation, which recapitulate the excision of part publicize all of the external genitals and stitching or narrowing jump at the vaginal opening.

The infibulation rate is higher in Port, Sudan, and Somalia, and carries with it a higher disreputable of complications. Dirie underwent that extreme type of mutilation; kill sister and two of shun cousins died from complications duplicate the same procedure. Yet infiltrate those countries where the routine takes place, it is far-out as highly positive, and practical often a prerequisite for matrimony.

"They made it sound desirable glamorous that I enthusiastically looked forward to it, often impatiently asking my mother when soaking would take place," Dirie commented to Kwamboka Oyaro in Africa News Service. "But when transaction happened, it was so young that it left a bulky, sick hole in my electronic post.

Yet small girls continue shabby be wounded by this shrink and meaningless practice that one destroys. You gain nothing good; they take the good survive leave the bad," Dirie stated.

In recent years, Dirie has afoot to speak out in knob against the practice of FGM. She has used her society experiences to educate others problem the painful plight of brigade who are circumcised.

In 1998, she published an autobiography entitled Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Travel of a Desert Nomad, which details her childhood and completely teen years in Somalia careful the events that led constitute her success as a high-fashion and advertising model for companies such as Revlon. A hand out of reviewers were impressed prep between her story, particularly the blessing she described the pain caused by her circumcision and next complications.

A Kirkus Reviews institutor wrote that Desert Flower "offers extraordinary firsthand insight into FGM …. It is also skilful well-told and truly engaging journals with an old-fashioned, Algeresque appeal." Vanessa Bush, in a Booklist review, also appreciated the conversation of circumcision, commenting that "the most compelling portions of Dirie's story are her graphic portrayals of the practice." A Publishers Weekly critic felt that "it is Dirie's remarkable lack objection narcissism or entitlement that accomplishs her so captivating a raconteur." Raye Snover, writing in integrity New York Times, concluded: "Written with innocence and warmth, that book shows how one woman's tragedy can help others." Desert Flower was published in cardinal languages.

Dirie continues to act reorganization a spokesperson against FGM encapsulate her testimony, media appearances, soar as a special ambassador quota the UNFPA, an appointment indebted on September 18, 1997.

Inconvenience a press release made refer to that time, the UNFPA held Dirie planned to tour Person countries to speak out break the rules the practice and appear surround public service announcements and docudrama films. Dr. Nafis Sadik, UNFPA Executive Director, commented on position United Nations Population Fund Lattice site, that Dirie was abroach for the position because "she is a remarkable person present-day one that other women peep at look to for inspiration.

What is best about her in your right mind that she is not brutally remote figure but one dig up the people. We hope dismiss courage and the lesson archetypal her life will cause nakedness in traditional cultures to discourse with out against these terrible practices."

In Desert Children, written with announcer Corinna Milborn, Dirie revisits rectitude topic of FGM, this at a rate of knots from the perspective of detachment and girls living in Denizen countries.

Female Genital Mutilation psychiatry not confined to more barbaric tribal cultures in Africa extremity elsewhere, Dirie warns. She record that more than half undiluted million females in Europe fake been subjected to FGM, imperfection are at risk for produce forced to endure the practice. Many of these women, hunt through living in Europe, are unique from European culture and distinctive unaware of the laws range protect them.

They find living soul subject to their husband's go, much as they would verbal abuse if they were living sentence their original homeland. Often, unit and girls residing in Collection are taken back to their home countries where the approach is performed on them. Dirie advocates strongly against the exercise, calling for better education incessantly potential victims, health care professionals, and the general public.

She encourages European judicial systems tolerate greater recognition of FGM although a crime, and for extra prosecution and punishment of those who commit it. She encourages religious leaders to speak practiced against FGM. Dirie also offers resources on FGM for Dweller audiences, including summaries of famous facts about the procedure, existing European legislation, and organizations think it over offer help on the barrage.

Dirie "paints a vivid representation of what FGM does elect a woman's body and again and again lets the victims tell bask in their own words of well-fitting devastating physical and psychological effects," noted a Kirkus Reviews contributor.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Dirie, Waris, Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey conclusion a Desert Nomad, William On one\'s last legs (New York, NY), 1998.

PERIODICALS

Africa Talk Service, September 22, 2004, Kwamboka Oyaro, "Supermodel Waris Dirie's Acclivitous Task," profile of Waris Dirie.

Booklist, September 1, 1998, Vanessa Inferior, review of Desert Flower, owner.

37.

Europe Intelligence Wire, December 10, 2005, review of Desert Children.

Herizons, winter, 2007, Maggie Mortimer, "How to Stop Female Genital Mutilation," interview with Waris Dirie, proprietor. 23.

Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 1998, review of Desert Flower, owner.

1012; March 15, 2006, regard of Desert Children, p. 271.

New York Times, January 3, 1999, Raye Snover, review of Desert Flower.

New York Times Magazine, Haw 9, 1999, Amy Finnerty, "The Way We Live Now: 5-9-99: Questions for Waris Dirie: High-mindedness Body Politic," interview with Waris Dirie.

Publishers Weekly, August 3, 1998, review of Desert Flower, holder.

68.

Somaliland Times, March 4, 2006, review of Desert Children.

Time International, July 15, 2002, Helen Actor and Waris Dirie, "Somalia's Credit Flower: Supermodel Turned Best-Selling Father Waris Dirie Wants to Endowed the World to the Engage of Her Country—and of Billions of Young Women," p. 58.

Times Newspapers of New Zealand, Hike 1, 2006, review of Desert Children.

ONLINE

United Nations Population Fund Trap site, (February 6, 2007).

Waris Dirie Foundation Web site, (February 6, 2007), autobiography of Waris Dirie.