”What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” –  William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, ca. 1600

If you think about what’s in a name, the answer is a lot. More so, in the field of literature, contrary to the Shakespearean viewpoint. 

History is laden with examples of how women authors had to hide their identity under the garb of male pen names to achieve commercial success. Even though times have improved, there is still an unconscious bias among modern-day readers about their perception of men and women authors. 

One of the most famous examples in current pop culture is Joanne Kathleen Rowling who adopted the more gender-neutral name, J.K.Rowling to make her Harry Potter book series appealing for boys readers. She went a step further and took on a strong masculine name as Robert Galbraith when she wrote crime fiction. 

Likewise, I know of fellow contemporary Indian women authors, even the ones who are considered highly successful and traditionally published, who’ve felt the enormous pressure to adopt masculine or foreign (preferably Christian) names to write in certain genres such as erotica. A la E. L. James! Some of the common reasons include that they don’t lose their loyal reader base, or create unnecessary complications that might tarnish their social reputation.  

I remember a particular review of one of my stories ‘The One Who Got Away’ (inspired by Goddess Kali, an Indian feminist icon and vigilante,) by a woman reader stating that it was ‘too gore’ for her liking. But, I discovered that the same reader went on to praise other male writers in the same book who’ve written more gore and explicit content than I have.  Similarly, when I married elements of horror and erotica in ‘The Adventures of a Virgin,’ it shocked some readers who had read and loved my book, Bhumi, a collection of short stories. That’s when it dawned upon me that gendered expectations are a reality. But I’ve always believed it’s important for any writer to stay true to their core, and not be bothered about readers’ perceptions about them. My feminist poem, ‘Pischachini’ is replete with cuss-words that are slapped on women, who are slut-shamed for simply having a voice, or making a choice. 

Women authors and bloggers who have 9-to-5 jobs have confided in me how they chose to tone down their literary voice so that they are not misconceived by their bosses and colleagues at the workplace or even family and friends in their social circle.  The dichotomy brings to mind Mary Anne Evans, or more famously known as George Eliot, who was compelled to don a male pen name, not for mere commercial success alone. She chose to remain known as a male author for fear of judgement of her personal life; her romantic relationship with George Henry Lewes who was in an open marriage with another lady. 

Things have not changed much when recently Meena Kandasamy, Dalit writer and activist came under public scrutiny and ire after she highlighted Brahmanical patriarchy in the domains of modern-day Indian literature. The dirty linens of her personal life were washed in stark public view as various allegations were leveled against her by her former husband including false charges of abuse, and faking her Dalit identity. But that didn’t stop Kandasamy from refuting those charges with proof. Kandasamy also brings hope to many women authors to come out in the open, and revel in their name, skin, and stories. 

Maybe we need to find answers in the pages of our rich history! Prakrit poetry is a fine example of the agency of women poets who used their voices in the most authentic ways, that remain unmatched by their modern-day counterparts. Sample this sexually explicit poem: 

“Woman wanting

More

Not having come

Seeing a cart in the middle 

Of the village

Oh blessed indeed

Says the hub of the wheel

With the axle in it

All the time.”

Today on one side, we have Indian women writers who choose to stay under the wraps of male pen names to explore socially approved masculine genres. And on the other side of the boat, we also have many contemporary writers who are bending the narrative in path-breaking ways.

Writers such as Ismat Chugtai, Kamala Das, and Nalini Jameela shocked an Anglicized literate India when they wrote on sexuality with refreshing unabashed candour. I am particularly reminded of Mamta Kalia’s poem, ‘Brat’

“Looking at my navel

I’m reminded of you, Mamma.

How I lay suspended 

By that cordial cord inside you.

I must have been a rattish thing,

A wriggly roll of shallow breath.

You, perhaps, were hardly proud

Of your creativity – 

Except for the comfort 

That I looked like Papa

And not like the neighbour 

Who shared our bathroom.” 

Sujatha Gidla and Arundhati Roy continue to bend narratives by writing serious fiction and nonfiction, typically seen as the bastion of male privilege, and dissecting pariah subjects. 

We have Kiran Manral who gaily treads from one genre to another and lets her books speak of her literary prowess, Sudha Menon whose meticulously researched and impeccably written non-fiction books make ambition look bloody good on women, Damyanti Biswas who debuted with a gut-wrenching crime thriller, Kirthi Jayakumar’s war fiction books that propagate the important message of global peace, or Anupama Jain and Richa Shrivastava Mukherjee who’ve shattered the myth that women authors cannot write funny to name a few. 

However, let’s also take cognizance of the fact that it’s not been an easy ride for the men either who’ve been trapped in the spider web of gendered lines. It’s not unusual for male authors to adopt feminine names to fit into certain genres such as romance. We have male authors with female pen names in the crime fiction genre as it is a more commercially viable proposition today. 

If you’ve looked around lately, you’d have noticed that the winds have already started to change direction. Saikat Majumdar’s gay fiction book ‘The Scent of God’ stands as a bold testament against patriarchy as it challenges the conservationist outlook of masculinity and femininity, exploring the concepts with an uncloaked fragility and fluidity. Anand Neelankantan, the man who made Indian Mythology a ‘hip’ genre in digital India and the literary force behind the international hit movie series, ‘Baahubali,’ doesn’t merely ‘show and tell’ Hindu tales. He analyzes and presents the oft-told mythological tales and characters as they’ve never been before. He takes creative liberties in the interpretation and doesn’t shy away from sexuality and feminism in his revolutionist retelling of the sacrosanct texts. 

Unfair gendered expectations from both men and women authors must come to an end. Think so-called ‘masculine’ traits like ambition, anger/rage, leadership, independence, courage, assertiveness, organizational and decision-making ability, lust, freedom, wit/ humour, and more! It’s sheer control and hypocrisy to expect women to behave according to a standard template that is manipulative at its best.

Smile till your cheeks hurt and form a natural beetroot red blush.

Bend it like lady Beckham.

Be pure as shuddh desi ghee.

Be flexible like a rubber band.

The list of the chaste traits goes on for womankind. But emotions and traits should be devoid of all gender connotations. Thankfully, we are slowly but surely breaking away from such gendered boxes, and bending narratives for the greater good of all humankind.

But, emotions and traits should be devoid of all gender connotations. Thankfully, we are slowly but surely breaking away from such gendered boxes, and bending narratives for the greater good of all humankind. 

I’ll conclude on an equitable note, 

“Women can have it all, shall have it all

So can and shall all men

Because patriarchy affects us all

Let’s smash it in its balls 

Where it hurts the most

In the literary and real world

Crushing it to its death

One word at a time

You and me!”

Author : Tina Sequeira

Tina Sequeira is a marketer and moonlighting writer. Winner of the Rashtriya Gaurav Award (2019) in association with the Government of Telangana for her book ‘Bhumi,’  the Orange Flower Award (2017) by Women’s Web, Literoma Nari Samman Award (2020), GrandQueens Leadership Award (2020) by Lions Clubs International, I.N.S.P.I.R.E Beyond Motherhood Awards – ‘Women Lit of the Year’ (2020) and more, Tina has published several short stories and poems in international anthologies and literary journals. Tina also featured among the ‘Top 35 writers of 2017’ and ‘ Top 20 writers of 2020’ by YouthKiAwaaz, India’s leading online platform for Social Justice. She is the founder of Write Away. Find her at www.thetinaedit.com and on social media @thetinaedit.