Saudi Woman's Driving Violation Spurs Controversy
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Hidden World Of Girls
A Collaboration Between The Kitchen Sisters, NPR and Listeners.
Col. Latifa Nabizada, the only female pilot in Afghanistan, flies her helicopter to some of the most dangerous parts of the country. Her 5-year-old daughter, Malalai, is often with her in the cockpit.
A Long, Turbulent Journey For Afghan Female Pilot
Latifa Nabizada began her air force career more than two decades ago, when the Soviet Union was still occupying Afghanistan. She is the only female pilot in the country's history, and has a dedicated, if unusual, flying companion.
Ex-L.A. Gang Member Trades Streets For Family
Seventeen years ago, a girl named BooBoo was a hard-core member of the Playboys gang in Los Angeles. She drifted in and out of juvenile probation. Now, Cindy Martinez is a mother of five who has lasered off her tattoos and teaches her kids not to make her same mistakes.
From China To The U.S.: Student Juggles Two Worlds
The daughter of migrant workers from northeastern China, Mandy Lu goes to college in North Carolina. She says whenever she crosses the border between her two worlds, she feels like she's in a daze and she has to find an identity for herself in a place that's so familiar — yet not familiar at all.
Russian Women Prove It's Hip To Be A Babushka()
June 27, 2011 A group of babushkas, or elderly women, who live in Buranovo, Russia, have become a musical sensation. They sing Beatles tunes and songs by iconic Russian rocker Viktor Tsoi. They fly around the country for concerts. And it all started because they turned to music during tough times.
In Asia, The Perils Of Aborting Girls And Keeping Boys()
June 15, 2011 In her first book, author Mara Hvistendahl explores why parents in several Asian countries are choosing to have boys rather than girls as birth rates are dropping. The trend of sex-selective abortion is yielding broad impacts on the economy, culture and stability of those nations.
Yemeni Photographer Turns Her Lens On The West()
June 8, 2011 Earlier this year, Amira Al-Sharif came to New York City to document the lives of young American women. The 28-year-old was born in Saudi Arabia, grew up in Yemen and was the first person from her family to graduate from university. And while Western journalists often document Arab women, Al-Sharif wanted to flip the script.
Family History: The General, His Sisters And Me()
May 27, 2011 Gen. Vang Pao, an exiled leader from the Hmong hill tribe in communist Laos, was a CIA ally during the Vietnam War. Now, shortly after his death and six-day funeral in California, NPR's Doualy Xaykaothao — Vang Pao's grandniece — is delving into her family history. Who was Vang Pao, and what stories can his surviving sisters share?
A Termite Queen And Her Ultimate Sacrifice()
May 6, 2011 The termite queen may be the mother who makes the ultimate sacrifice for her swarms of children. Isolated in an earthen capsule, she lays more than a quarter-billion eggs in her lifetime. On the eve of Mother's Day, NPR honors this species' story of struggle, rebirth and death below ground.
Lifting The Veil: Muslim Women Explain Their Choice()
April 21, 2011 About 1 million Muslim women live in America; 43 percent of them wear headscarves full time. But now, a generation of Muslim women is taking off the headscarf, or hijab. For many, their choice is an attempt to balance their private lives with a very public symbol of their religion.
Music In The Time Of Extremism()
April 7, 2011 Two women use music to show the world a fuller picture of their homeland, Pakistan. They have a piece called "The Happy Song" on their album in progress, about beauty in a time of turmoil and intolerance.
Why Do Girls Love Horses, Unicorns And Dolphins?()
February 9, 2011 Many girls fantasize about horses, dolphins and unicorns. One theory about why is that it helps them express their power. Others say the animals — real and mythical — symbolize dreaming and achieving. Still for many, it's a way to run away with their imaginations.
Iraqi Women Wed To Insurgents Find Little Hope()
January 28, 2011 In a country with millions of orphans and widows, officials say it's tough to make women who are seen as criminals a priority, which means they're basically ignored by everyone.
Pakistan's Lesbians Live In Silence, Love In Secret()
January 17, 2011 Although gays and lesbians can be imprisoned for life in Pakistan, rarely are such charges brought to court. Pakistani lesbians say it is often easier for them to engage in a sexual relationship because society simply doesn't perceive women to have sexual desires.
