Why Was I Born a Girl? by Andishvar, translated by Emily Khossravi

In this imperative and formidable poetry collection presented in both Dari and English, young Afghan poet Andishvar asks us to consider a question that many women know too well: Why Was I Born a Girl? For Andishvar, this central question has burned hotter, charred the interior, since 2021 when girls lost the right to pursue education as a result of the Taliban regaining power in Afghanistan. Through graceful, sobering lyrics, Andishvar reflects on this devastating tragedy, explores the crushing weight of a homeland that screams “why should a girl live in freedom?,” and, against all odds, responds with a defiant coax, “Come on life, with your sweet stories.” In these willful poems, we find hope where least expected, and Andishvar answers her own question—our question: Why was a I born a girl? Because “[she] will make it possible.” 

This bilingual collection is brought to English-speaking audiences through the careful translation work of Emily Khossravi, a California high school student who connected with Andishvar through Flowers for the Future, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the right to education for students across the world.