JOIN US‘SHE is what I want my daughter to be when she grows up’
Bengaluru-based author Reecha Agarwal Goyal recently launched her book, ‘SHE- Screw Silence’. a collection of micro tales on women. The book delves into a wide range of ideas from a woman’s fight to asserting her identity to her constant struggle with a rigid society. In an interview with Metrolife, the author shares what inspired her to pen the book.
What inspired you to write the book?
My previous book, ‘Such is HER Life’, chronicled the journey of a woman from before she is born till she breathes her last, poetically. Though the book was highly acclaimed by the critics, I realised we needed a more active approach towards women empowerment. We needed a stronger book - a book where the character refuses to be a victim.
How does the book relate to the modern-day woman?
The book is all about the modern day woman. She is a career woman; a happy homemaker; a loving mother and a wild lover. She doesn’t fit in one certain peg. She can be happily married or decide to never get married. She is just what she is - without any guilt or regrets. She is confident, strong and unapologetic.
What are some of the situations in the book that people can relate to?
People will be able to relate to every single word in the book. It covers the stigma around menstruation, body shaming, how ambitious women are looked down upon and the way intelligence is perceived in women. It even looks at modern day relationships between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law, unconditional love of a mother, present day marriages and divorces and more.
How do you describe a woman in your book?
The blurb of the book beautifully describes the woman in my book. It reads, “Have you heard the whispers? She woke up different today. She smiles like she is hiding a secret. She holds her head high, like she is wearing an invisible crown. The air around her is charged with confidence, strength, and courage. Have you heard the whispers? She woke up different today. Yet it feels she has been like this always. Maybe it’s the story that has changed.”
What was the most enjoyable part about writing the book?
Writing every word was a pleasure. SHE is what I want my daughter to be when she grows up. Imagining different situations and charting the best reaction to each situation was challenging yet fulfilling. How can we, as a nation, progress if half of its population is suppressed? And what choices do we have other than to speak up? We have to speak in bold and underlined words and writing is my way of speaking.