Born in Iran, Susan Allaie was forced into an arranged marriage, driven by the ideals of religious fundamentalism and a culture that afforded her no autonomy over her own future. Suffering humiliation at the hands of her husband, Allaie courageously fought back by going to Iran to bring back her two sons after they were kidnapped by her ex-husband from USA, only to have them taken from her for second time. Against the odds, she found a way to create a life of her choosing by coming back to USA. After years passed her children chose to join her in USA. In When I Said No to gods, Allaie presents a collection of stories, poems, newspaper articles, letters, photographs, and drawings spanning over forty years to share her extraordinary story of survival in the face of oppression. Offering unique insight into the politics of Middle Eastern culture, Allaie relates how religion is used to subjugate women, and with their freedoms completely suspended and dictated by men, women lose themselves. Capturing the essence of the cultural pessimism still affecting Iranian women today, Allaie's message of optimism, along with her passion to move forward by way of forgiveness, is a beacon of hope for future generations of women's rights activists.