FamousPeopleFacts - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Ayaan Hirsi Ali - famouspeoplefacts.com

Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Date of Birth: November 13, 1969

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Biography

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a Somali-born Dutch-American activist, author, and former politician. She was born on November 13, 1969, in Mogadishu, Somalia. Her early life was marked by political upheaval and she lived in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Kenya, due to her father’s opposition to the Somali dictatorship. In 1992, she sought asylum in the Netherlands, escaping an arranged marriage and the restrictive societal norms imposed on women in her culture. Hirsi Ali became actively involved in Dutch politics, joining the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). She served as a member of the Dutch Parliament from 2003 to 2006. During her tenure, she was a vocal critic of Islam, particularly in its treatment of women, which garnered both support and controversy. In 2004, she collaborated with filmmaker Theo van Gogh on the short film “Submission,” which criticized the treatment of women in Islamic societies. The film led to van Gogh’s assassination by a radical Islamist, and Hirsi Ali received numerous death threats, necessitating her relocation to the United States for safety. In the U.S., she continued her activism, founding the AHA Foundation to protect women’s rights. She has written several books, including her autobiography “Infidel” and “Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now.” Hirsi Ali currently holds a fellowship at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

5 Interesting Facts about Ayaan Hirsi Ali

1. Ayaan Hirsi Ali received political asylum in the Netherlands in 1992 after fleeing from an arranged marriage.

2. She has authored several influential books, including “Infidel,” “Nomad,” and “Heretic.”

3. Hirsi Ali was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2005.

4. She collaborated with filmmaker Theo van Gogh on “Submission,” a film that led to van Gogh’s assassination.

5. Hirsi Ali founded the AHA Foundation, which works to protect women and girls from practices like female genital mutilation and forced marriages.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Ayaan Hirsi Ali

1. “Tolerance of intolerance is cowardice.”

2. “The only position that leaves me with no cognitive dissonance is atheism.”

3. “The veil is a symbol of oppression.”

4. “Free speech is the bedrock of liberty and a free society.”

5. “The idea that any culture is superior to any other is a false notion.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s highest net worth has been estimated to be around $5 million.

Children

Ayaan Hirsi Ali has one child, a son named Thomas, with her husband Niall Ferguson, a British historian.

Relevant Links

1. [Ayaan Hirsi Ali – Hoover Institution](https://www.hoover.org/profiles/ayaan-hirsi-ali

2. [AHA Foundation](https://www.theahafoundation.org/

3. [Ayaan Hirsi Ali – Biography on Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ayaan-Hirsi-Ali

4. [Ayaan Hirsi Ali on Time’s 100 Most Influential People](https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2005/

5. [Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s TED Talk](https://www.ted.com/speakers/ayaan_hirsi_ali

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