Iranian Canadian Police Officer Faces Discrimination at Work

When Firouzeh “Effy” Zarabi-Majd was 13, she moved to Toronto from Iran with her family. She faced bullying at school and didn’t speak English well. One day, she went out without telling her mother, who panicked and called the police. Effy returned home to find kind police officers at her house. This experience inspired her to become a police officer.

Effy’s parents, an art teacher and a civil engineer, hoped she’d become an Iranian lawyer or an Iranian doctor. Despite this, after graduating high school, Effy wanted to join law enforcement, believing it to be helpful and courageous. Her mother didn’t like the idea, thinking it was too dangerous. However, Effy pursued her dream, especially after her mother passed away in 2001.

At 27, Effy joined the Toronto Police Service. She was one of the few women and racialized people in her class. Despite facing sexism during her training, she focused on passing. She was taught to be loyal to the police “family” and not show weakness or emotions.

Effy started working in a busy division, responding to emergency and non-emergency calls. She found the work fulfilling but soon realized the harsh reality of policing. She faced sexist and racist behavior from colleagues but initially tried to ignore it. Over time, it became harder to deal with, especially as many of the offenders were in charge.

Effy’s troubles worsened with her experiences of sexual harassment and racism. Her male colleagues made inappropriate and demeaning comments. Despite her complaints to the union, nothing changed. She was advised not to challenge the status quo to protect her career. Feeling unsupported and silenced, she stopped reporting the harassment.

Effy’s dream job became a nightmare. She witnessed and experienced harassment, discrimination, and a culture of silence within the police force. She realized the difficulty of bringing change in a system resistant to accountability. Her struggle for justice and reform continues, reflecting the broader challenges faced by many in law enforcement.

Read more about the story on Torontolife.com.