gritty girl is my humble attempt to celebrate #girls and #women—the steely strength and the eternal #love that they symbolize. to impact, and to inspire girls while giving a voice to the gender-based biases that choke their paths.
girls and women make half the world population; however, their potential largely remains untapped. they continue to face various forms of gender-based #discrimination—at home, at work, and elsewhere—all around the globe.
the status of women in india’s #patriarchal society makes the soul of Gritty Girl.
women in india have held positions of power across almost all fields including politics, business, art, and science. they are given equal rights under the constitution. not many gender barriers remain to be shattered in india—a democracy, of billion plus people, that has already had a woman prime minister as well as a woman president.
the irony, however, is that the country continues to be largely a male dominant society—where boys are preferred over girls, where men are revered, and women are conditioned to take a subordinate role.
oppressive traditions, cultural norms, social ethos, and religious myths—all contribute to widespread biases and violence against women. despite various measures, female infanticide, sexual violence, domestic violence, dowry violence, and honor killings continue unabated in india. while the idea of gender equality is gaining ground, it still, for the most part, remains on paper.
Gritty Girl is a four-part collection of poems.
first part is inspired by true stories of women in northern india. it bares the society where a girl is generally considered a liability for the family—her education is not as important as her brothers’, she must live by the rules specially crafted for girls in the family, and eventually marry the guy that male head of her family approves of. once married, her primary responsibility is to bear children, provide a male heir, and to take care of the household. speaking up, stepping out, seeking independence, or chasing dreams—all come with risks of facing violence.
but a woman of 21st century is no ordinary being. she is patient, she’s resilient, and she’s fearless. she is not a slave to history—she’s a fighter, she’s gritty. second and
third parts of this book offer hope and inspiration for girls who dare to dream.
a woman is also a powerhouse of love, care, and compassion. the fourth part celebrates her love in its different forms. hope mine reaches you through this #book.
