
Hailing from South Waziristan in Pakistan, Maria Toorpakai grew up in a region where women aren’t allowed to leave the house without a male guardian. That didn’t stop her from burning her dresses, cutting her hair, and taking on the name Ghengis Khan in order to play sports. Despite her gender being leaked and facing threats from the Taliban, she went on to become Pakistan’s top squash player and told her story at the Oslo Freedom Forum in New York.