sweddy65's review against another edition
3.0
If it weren't that this is Leah Vernon's story the way she wanted to tell it, I would give this two stars.
Let me first say, I am not the audience for this book and I understand that others will find it powerful. It is Vernon's story and so her heterosexuality is one of the centers. However, the heteronormativity continually distanced me.
I came out as a lesbian in the 1980s into a community that welcomed and celebrated bodies of all sizes. I have long believed every good person is also a beautiful person. I am also entirely uninterested in fashion.
Perhaps because of those things, I found much of the narrative tedious. And then, toward the end of the book, I came across this paragraph which is meant to be loving and inclusive and non-judgmental, but....
"As Muslims, we are taught to be perfect. In front of our peers, in the media, at work, at the nearby coffee shop. We are taught that we are being watched by not only God, but others, and that we need to be amazing individuals who aren't touched by mental illness, sexual abuse, or homosexuality. We've created created these ridiculous ideologies that we can only fit nicely into these frames" (180).
While trying to say, "I don't find these things taboo to write about," putting the core of my identity into a category with sexual abuse reminds me of the decades I have been arguing with homophobes that queer sexuality is not abuse or pedophilia or bestiality.
Let me first say, I am not the audience for this book and I understand that others will find it powerful. It is Vernon's story and so her heterosexuality is one of the centers. However, the heteronormativity continually distanced me.
I came out as a lesbian in the 1980s into a community that welcomed and celebrated bodies of all sizes. I have long believed every good person is also a beautiful person. I am also entirely uninterested in fashion.
Perhaps because of those things, I found much of the narrative tedious. And then, toward the end of the book, I came across this paragraph which is meant to be loving and inclusive and non-judgmental, but....
"As Muslims, we are taught to be perfect. In front of our peers, in the media, at work, at the nearby coffee shop. We are taught that we are being watched by not only God, but others, and that we need to be amazing individuals who aren't touched by mental illness, sexual abuse, or homosexuality. We've created created these ridiculous ideologies that we can only fit nicely into these frames" (180).
While trying to say, "I don't find these things taboo to write about," putting the core of my identity into a category with sexual abuse reminds me of the decades I have been arguing with homophobes that queer sexuality is not abuse or pedophilia or bestiality.
ensara's review against another edition
1.0
you don’t sound confident or assertive by swearing over and over, you just sound like you don’t know how to speak. so much for that creative writing degree.
carrienation76's review against another edition
4.0
This book is refreshingly raw. Vernon writes in extensive detail about the experiences of growing up and living life as fat, Black, and Muslim. She divulges her inner anti-fat self-hate even as she finds success as a model and social media influencer. She walks the reader through the nuances and details of her divorce and how she picked herself back up in the age of internet dating. This book is comprehensive - and you're left with the unabashed determination and self-manufactured confidence that propels Vernon forward through the difficulties of life.
teeclecticreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Truthfully I didn’t know who Leah Vernon was before this, but I’m glad I took a chance and decided to find out. This was such a beautiful body of work that encompassed the joys and many downs of her identities and intersectionality. I love that despite recounting painful stories, she still found a way to bring humour and positivity. I’m very happy that she decided to share her story with the world.
mnqmariah's review against another edition
5.0
From the moment I opened her book and, page by page, experiencing Leah's life, I was engaged with the unfolding events and how she overcame so many adversities. Such a great read! Thankful, I picked up this book and learned more about a woman of color who is also a Muslim in the US.