A review by aleenaleena
The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor

5.0

This book really made me reflect on my mindset and what an impact society, culture, and media have on our self worth. We live in a world that profits off of self-hatred, but this book encourages a better mind-body connection and encourages us to rethink what we have been told about what is “right and wrong.” Sonya Taylor suggests that bodies should be celebrated with childlike wonder—we weren’t born hating things about ourselves! We are complex human beings with intersectional identities and we are so lucky to be able to use our bodies and brains to connect with people about our similarities AND differences. Everybody is facing similar challenges as a result of being in an environment that constantly criticizes every little thing about us—Taylor says, “we are all products of a rigged system designed to keep us stuck in stigma and shame.” We must remember to have compassion for others and ourselves and not ignore our differences. A quote at the end of the book says, “My body has never been wrong. Someone else decided that.” We must go back to our innate beliefs and silence the learned thoughts of the aspects of ourselves being either “right and wrong.”