On Gender Equity in Literature
Scandalous and revealing events of the last decade, such as Me Too, have again raised and popularized the topic of gender equality and equity both in the planetary public discourse and in the circles of those with institutional power. In contemporary literature, various authors have been discussing and analyzing the concept of gender equity, and the associated societal imbalances that it’s lack generates, for at least more than half a century. It is the idea of “respecting all people without discrimination, regardless of their gender” and “addressing gender inequalities that limit a person’s ability to access opportunities to achieve better health, education, and economic opportunity based on their gender” (Martinez). Many works criticize historical gender norms and the systems on which it is built. There are also a lot of those that show the suffering of women, non-binary, and transgender persons, and potential solutions to various harmful and toxic structures. I consider The Color Purple to be one of the best-written pieces on gender equity.
Gender Equity in The Color Purple
The Color Purple uses poignant social issues, shocking imagery, complex plot structure, and plot twists filled with emotion and tragedy to show that patriarchy and traditional masculinity damage women. Celie, the protagonist in the story, suffers from an external patriarchal system that the men around her have built and maintained and an internal one. It is her worldview that God is a man and she is just a good girl (Walker 1). She becomes free only after she leaves this mental concept, and her life begins to improve. The story of Adam and Tashi shows that happiness and inner peace can be found in inter-gender solidarity. The narrative that Alice Walker has developed is her message that unhappiness, oppression, and discrimination will only disappear when people start treating each other based on the idea of gender equity.
References
Martinez, Holly. “What Is Gender Equity? Definition & Examples | United Way NCA.” United Way of the National Capital Area, Web.
Walker, Alice. The Color Purple: A Novel. Penguin Publishing Group, 2019.