The author’s name still makes a difference in the reception of the text. I still believe that a woman’s name influences the reading of both male and female readers. I believe the gender of the writer colors the reading of the text in certain ways. But when writers are in the midst of the act of writing, they are focused on the text itself. The writer herself (or himself) is already in a transformational moment where one is not woman or man. Virginia Woolf spoke about the angel in the house, who stood behind her to warn her when she wrote, so she had to consider what should be said and what should not be said as a woman. After some time being tormented by this angel, she threw the inkwell at her and killed her. To me, it’s about the uniqueness of individuals and texts. The prevailing judgment still revolves around men addressing major issues, while women write about 'daily life'… but it must be acknowledged that much has changed today, and what remains are the sensitivities of reading.
Duna Ghali on Writing, Translating, and Publishing Between Arabic and Danish [ArabLit, 2 May 2024]
Use the link below to read the full interview with Iraqi writer DUNA GHALI:
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