Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'
Don't Let It Get You Down: Essays on Race, Gender, and the Body by Savala Nolan Trepczynski
3 reviews
dominic_t's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
This is an amazing book! The essays are brilliant and emotional. The author has so many great insights into race, class, gender, and body size. She talks about she moves between social categories and how that impacts her worldview. I think everyone can get something out of this book.
There were some specific essays I particularly liked.
"White Doll" was about the birth of her daughter and mothering as a Black woman. She deftly weaved together several threads into a really moving essay. The title refers to a white baby doll that Savala's mother gave to her daughter. Savala discussed how the white doll aligned her daughter with whiteness and erased her from the family. She goes into details about the medical mistreatment she faced and how her pregnancy was shaped by medical racism.
"Dear White Sister" was an essay about how racism shows up even in close friends. It's an exploration of cultural appropriation that is really nuanced and goes into the emotions involved on both sides. She talks about how Beyoncé's music speaks specifically to Black experiences and what it feels like to see non-Black people use it in trivial ways. It's a great essay on why cultural appropriation hurts.
"Bad Education" is also fantastic. It's an in depth look at how she experienced misogynistic media as a woman. She talks about how she initially loved Eminem's music and Law and Order: SVU, but she eventually grew very uncomfortable with all the misogyny. I really related to this one. It's just such an honest look at what it's like to enjoy media that dehumanizes people like you.
I also loved several of the other essays and definitely recommend the whole book.
There were some specific essays I particularly liked.
"White Doll" was about the birth of her daughter and mothering as a Black woman. She deftly weaved together several threads into a really moving essay. The title refers to a white baby doll that Savala's mother gave to her daughter. Savala discussed how the white doll aligned her daughter with whiteness and erased her from the family. She goes into details about the medical mistreatment she faced and how her pregnancy was shaped by medical racism.
"Dear White Sister" was an essay about how racism shows up even in close friends. It's an exploration of cultural appropriation that is really nuanced and goes into the emotions involved on both sides. She talks about how Beyoncé's music speaks specifically to Black experiences and what it feels like to see non-Black people use it in trivial ways. It's a great essay on why cultural appropriation hurts.
"Bad Education" is also fantastic. It's an in depth look at how she experienced misogynistic media as a woman. She talks about how she initially loved Eminem's music and Law and Order: SVU, but she eventually grew very uncomfortable with all the misogyny. I really related to this one. It's just such an honest look at what it's like to enjoy media that dehumanizes people like you.
I also loved several of the other essays and definitely recommend the whole book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent
selenasoemakyes's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
True. Painful. Necessary. Indulgent. Self-exposing. Self-accepting. One of the best memoirs I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Racism
Moderate: Sexual assault
bella_cavicchi's review
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Goodness, I could read Nolan's writing all day -- it's so compelling. A really sharp (if short) collection of essays.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Colonisation