Reviews

Queer Body Power: Finding Your Body Positivity by Essie Dennis

millibee's review

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5.0

Essie Dennis’ writing is personal, political, relatable and accessible. Queer Body Power starts off with a careful and thought-out content warning which gives the reader a head start on figuring out which sections and chapters they may or may not need to skip. Dennis explores some heavy topics within this non-fiction publication such as: body image, eating disorders, ableism, fatphobia, racism and transphobia, which are all interconnected areas of society which need dismantling, the warning at the beginning is done with care.

Although this book is non-fiction with each chapter within Queer Body Power being written in essay-form, Dennis’ exploration and explanation does not gate-keep. The language used flows easily and the ideas presented are easy to grasp.

Although my own experiences as a queer, fat femme may be different, I found myself reflected within this book. The way that body image and queerness specifically intertwine is highly fascinating and I was able to read and think back on my own relationships with my queerness, my body and with food.

As someone who has come from a queer studies background, this book made me feel as though I was in a long conversation with a knowledgable, more experienced queer person than myself. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

I am grateful that Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Essie Dennis and NetGalley provided me with a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

tigsm's review

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

bethanymulley98's review

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inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

aecatec's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring

3.75

I think if you’re just beginning on your body positivity/queer joy journey, this would be absolutely wonderful to read!

erinmur's review

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It’s really poorly written - it reads like a secondary school essay. It’s also very much for young queer people, not adults who are secure in their identity 

lorenm's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

chelseayedinak's review

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5.0

* I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *

This was an excellent primer for the intersections of body positivity and queer identities. It's an approachable, non-academic read that I think a lot of LGBTQIA+ people navigating body image for the first time could benefit from reading. I think the target audience for this book would be people coming to these conversations and looking for a place to start, because as someone who has spent several years researching and reading about this topic, there was not much new information for me. However, I greatly enjoyed reading about the personal experiences of various queer people in interview portions throughout the book. I also enjoyed how consciously intersectional the book was and how how it does not just focus on one aspect of identity, but rather discussed queerness, anti-Blackness, racism, anti-fat bias, and more. For queer people wondering if they are alone in their experiences, I think books like this are invaluable in showing how widespread these problems are and providing guidance for how, on the individual level, people can work towards self-acceptance and community liberation.

ohcorrica's review

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5.0

This book was beautifully written. Multiple perspectives and stories are featured in a way that helps you better understand and feel what they are experiencing. If you have ever struggled with body image, you will relate to much of this book—a perfect read for young queer people.

jlynnreadsandwrites's review

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4.0

This is one of those books I didn't know I needed until I read it. There is not enough talk about bodies in relation to the queer experience. There are so many additional layers when you add in queer identities and I loved having that represented. The queer community is going to find themselves in this book as I have.