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I am a bacha posh : my life as a woman living as a man in Afghanistan / Ukmina Manoori ; in collaboration with Stéphanie Lebrun ; translated by Peter E. Chianchiano Jr.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextLanguage: English Original language: French Publisher: New York, New York : Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., 2014Copyright date: ©2014Description: xii, 154 pages ; 24 cmISBN:
  • 1629146811
  • 9781629146812
Other title:
  • My life as a woman living as a man in Afghanistan
Uniform titles:
  • Je suis une bacha posh. English
Subject(s):
Contents:
From Kabul to New York -- "You will be a boy, my girl" -- In the flesh of a man -- Being sixteen years old in the jihad -- The time of heroes -- Prisoner under the Taliban -- The first vote -- Alone before Allah -- Candidate to serve women -- The hand of President Karzai -- With the American troops -- Badgai, the sacrifice of the life of a woman -- Epilogue.
Summary: "You will be a son, my daughter." With these stunning words Ukmina learned that she was to spend her childhood as a boy. In Afghanistan there is a widespread practice of girls dressing as boys to play the role of a son. These children are called bacha posh : literally "girls dressed as boys." This practice offers families the freedom to allow their child to shop and work-and in some cases, it saves them from the disgrace of not having a male heir. But in adolescence, religion restores the natural law. The girls must marry, give birth, and give up their freedom. Ukmina decided to confront social and family pressure and keep her menswear. This brave choice paved the way for an extraordinary destiny: she wages war against the Soviets, assists the mujaheddin and ultimately commands the respect of all whom she encounters. She eventually becomes one of the elected council members of her province. But freedom always has a price. For "Ukmina warrior" that price was her life as a woman. This is a stunning and brave memoir about a little known practice that will challenge your perceptions about gender and the courage it takes to live your life to the fullest.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 958.1045 M285 Available 33111007905413
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

A 2015 Amelia Bloomer List Selection

"You will be a son, my daughter." With these stunning words Ukmina learned that she was to spend her childhood as a boy.

In Afghanistan there is a widespread practice of girls dressing as boys to play the role of a son. These children are called bacha posh : literally "girls dressed as boys." This practice offers families the freedom to allow their child to shop and work--and in some cases, it saves them from the disgrace of not having a male heir. But in adolescence, religion restores the natural law. The girls must marry, give birth, and give up their freedom.

Ukmina decided to confront social and family pressure and keep her menswear. This brave choice paved the way for an extraordinary destiny: she wages war against the Soviets, assists the mujaheddin and ultimately commands the respect of all whom she encounters. She eventually becomes one of the elected council members of her province.

But freedom always has a price. For "Ukmina warrior" that price was her life as a woman. This is a stunning and brave memoir about a little known practice that will challenge your perceptions about gender and the courage it takes to live your life to the fullest.

Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Arcade, Good Books, Sports Publishing, and Yucca imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Our list includes biographies on well-known historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Nelson Mandela, and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as villains from history, such as Heinrich Himmler, John Wayne Gacy, and O. J. Simpson. We have also published survivor stories of World War II, memoirs about overcoming adversity, first-hand tales of adventure, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

"Previously published as Je suis une bacha posh in 2013 by Éditions Michel Lafon."

From Kabul to New York -- "You will be a boy, my girl" -- In the flesh of a man -- Being sixteen years old in the jihad -- The time of heroes -- Prisoner under the Taliban -- The first vote -- Alone before Allah -- Candidate to serve women -- The hand of President Karzai -- With the American troops -- Badgai, the sacrifice of the life of a woman -- Epilogue.

"You will be a son, my daughter." With these stunning words Ukmina learned that she was to spend her childhood as a boy. In Afghanistan there is a widespread practice of girls dressing as boys to play the role of a son. These children are called bacha posh : literally "girls dressed as boys." This practice offers families the freedom to allow their child to shop and work-and in some cases, it saves them from the disgrace of not having a male heir. But in adolescence, religion restores the natural law. The girls must marry, give birth, and give up their freedom. Ukmina decided to confront social and family pressure and keep her menswear. This brave choice paved the way for an extraordinary destiny: she wages war against the Soviets, assists the mujaheddin and ultimately commands the respect of all whom she encounters. She eventually becomes one of the elected council members of her province. But freedom always has a price. For "Ukmina warrior" that price was her life as a woman. This is a stunning and brave memoir about a little known practice that will challenge your perceptions about gender and the courage it takes to live your life to the fullest.

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