If I body-shame a woman, it is more a reflection of me being critical of my body, me not being able to keep up to certain standards I have, and so making sure that the women around me feel the same way.
Rupi KaurRead
When I was little, my dad told me about Anandpur Sahib and the court of Guru Gobind Singh. That we came from a tradition of poets, warriors and artists who created when it was illegal to create... we're groomed to be reckless in the defense of what we feel is right.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the importance of creativity and courage in the face of adversity.
In this quote, Rupi Kaur shares a personal anecdote from her childhood where her father instilled in her a sense of pride about their heritage, which includes poets, warriors, and artists who expressed themselves during oppressive times. This legacy of creativity and courage serves as a reminder to stand up for one's beliefs and to embrace the 'recklessness' that comes with defending what is right, highlighting the value of artistic expression as a form of resistance.
Themes
CreativityCourageHeritageExpressionDefense
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about the importance of cultural heritage.
More from Rupi Kaur
All quotes →There have been articles saying that all women need to read my book. I ask, why not all men? In fact, that would be even more valuable because we women want to sit down with men and tell them - this is how we feel, this is what we go through.
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I wasn't entitled to dream so big. The idea of me being a writer wasn't even possible in my mind. Even when I began to write and first published, I couldn't call myself a writer.
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The way a small child might dream of visiting Disneyland, I dreamed of writing books. Never did I think my poems would become that.
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I was always writing for myself. I wrote what I needed to write and hear - that's what makes it powerful.
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There was no market for poetry about trauma, abuse, loss, love, and healing through the lens of a Punjabi-Sikh immigrant woman.
Rupi KaurRead
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