Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Strong Female Character by Fern Brady

41 reviews

kell_xavi's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative medium-paced

4.0

Memoir by multilingual Scottish comedian, working class autistic woman, fashion icon, and former stripper Fern Brady. Brady’s experience of autism, depression, and anxiety is very unlike my own—different class, culture, field, and gender context, as well as 2 decades and celebrity status separate us—yet a lot of it is familiar, and the added stories (descriptions, frustrations, examples) are appreciated. I hope all of us women and trans autistics can find ways to be comfortable and safe with ourselves. I hope books like these can help us to be seen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Mental illness, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Violence, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Police brutality and Rape

misdiagnosis

sarahreadsromance's review

emotional informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

It’s weird to rate someone’s personal story and judge that it is or isn’t good.  I appreciated the honesty and transparency that Fern Brady offers in this book, and it’s helpful to understand both her and other autistic women in my life.  My experience reading it was 4 stars, but that’s not to say that it couldn’t be much more valuable to someone else. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Addiction, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence

laurenkimoto's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Dysphoria, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Ableism, Blood, Bullying, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Biphobia, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

emma_sky's review

dark emotional informative sad slow-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Physical abuse, Self harm, Classism, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts

veelaughtland's review

challenging dark funny informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, and Physical abuse

migalu23's review

dark funny informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

paddy_chh's review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Ableism, Physical abuse, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Medical trauma, Body shaming, Pedophilia, Sexism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Toxic relationship

cisutherland's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Ableism, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

jem_carstairs's review against another edition

emotional funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Awful as it is that it took until 2022 for a book like this to exist, I’m so glad it does now. Fern Brady writes such an accurate representation of autism in women, a phenomenon that has been ignored for such a long time, using both personal stories AND data. 

More people need to read this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Ableism, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Bullying, Biphobia, and Drug use

iconicavocado's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

(read via book & audiobook)

Book 📖: 5/5 stars
Audiobook 🎙️: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Three takeaways: 
• extremely educational on autism within women
• unflinchingly honest about her past and present 
• the audiobook is good, just don't speed run it

Here is a book I'll carry with me for all time. The brutally honest insight on autism within women under the scrutiny of very traditional views was relatable to say the least. And powerfully enlightened to say at best. I felt both seen, heard and educated on the bouts and hardships Fern faced. Sometimes recognizing thoughts or experiences I had growing up that I've never connected before. While also feeling how profoundly debilitating and lonely it must be to have autistic traits as a woman and being misunderstood/struggle to cope you're whole life. 

I think anyone and everyone should read this book. Esp if you identify as female or female presenting and experience neurodiversity and autistic traits. You will be armed with camaraderie as well as a POV to help and communicate with those on the spectrum. I now feel more equipped to help myself and others while also feeling inspired to pursue more knowledge on women and autism. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Bullying, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Vomit, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship