The Body Is Not an Apology

December 18, 2017
Poet and activist Taylor (A Little Truth on Your Shirt) packs important ideas into this concise volume on body empowerment. “Radical self-love is not a destination you are trying to get to; it is who you already are,” she counsels. She correctly points out the role media has played in objectifying women and holding them to a photoshopped standard that rarely exist in real life—and suggests voting against demeaning advertising with one’s wallet. The common issue of body shaming is thoughtfully and empathetically explored here, as is the importance of changing the messages people receive about their bodies from negative to positive for future generations. Taylor peppers her lessons with questions to readers that she calls “unapologetic inquiries,” such as “What was your earliest memory of body shame?,” and prompts she calls “radical reflections,” bits of hard-won wisdom from her own life, such as “children’s bodies are not public property.” Refreshingly, while women are often assumed to be the group most interested in this book’s subject matter, Taylor wisely casts a wide net and addresses different genders in the book. The author’s sensible and empathetic tone will lend comfort to readers and help them to see that no matter what their body type, they are beautiful.