Michele Gorman: Chick lit is rooted in the real world

People should not look down on 'chick lit' just because some critics say it fails to deal with real-life issues, one of the genre's advocates has asserted.

In a column for the Guardian, Single in the City author Michele Gorman claimed that many of the attacks on chick lit are based on the misunderstanding that it does not address the problems facing readers.

'Well actually, some of it does. From sibling rivalry to infidelity, addictions to poor body image, a woman can take her pick within the genre if she wants to,' she argued.

Gorman admitted that the books which do not deal with such weighty issues are written for 'pure indulgent enjoyment' - but added that she can see nothing wrong with this.

In addition, she pointed out that genres such as science fiction, crime writing and historical novels do not often confront the real problems their readers struggle with, but they are not pilloried by critics.

Launching an attack on chick lit recently, Julian Corkle is a Filthy Liar author D.J. Connell wrote in the Guardian that she finds the genre 'offensive' because it seems to regard women as being less intelligent than men.