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Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'
Weightless: Making Space for My Resilient Body and Soul by Evette Dionne
7 reviews
gabyisafreeelf's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, and Sexual assault
scarroll178's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.5
A lot of poignant thoughts and statistics about what it’s like to live as a plus size person in America. I especially appreciated what she said about the importance of representation in media.
I sometimes had trouble following along with the author’s medical journey just because she went through so much. But I listened to the audiobook, so maybe that’s why. Still, I think a condense timeline with everything that happened (the fibroids, and then the heart failure, and then the medication that caused the hypertension…) would have been helpful.
I also appreciated the resources listed, like the Traveling While Plus Size Facebook group. I think it would’ve been nice if the author had added a list of resources for fat readers to use in their daily lives at the end of the book.
Overall great book, just a couple things I might have changed.
Tw for internalized fatphobia
I sometimes had trouble following along with the author’s medical journey just because she went through so much. But I listened to the audiobook, so maybe that’s why. Still, I think a condense timeline with everything that happened (the fibroids, and then the heart failure, and then the medication that caused the hypertension…) would have been helpful.
I also appreciated the resources listed, like the Traveling While Plus Size Facebook group. I think it would’ve been nice if the author had added a list of resources for fat readers to use in their daily lives at the end of the book.
Overall great book, just a couple things I might have changed.
Tw for internalized fatphobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
emily_journals's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I don't give star ratings to memoirs, I don't feel that I have the right to quantify the quality of someone's life experiences.
The essays in this book are very informative and I think encapsulate the feelings that commonly relate to existing in our society as a fat person. I also really admire the author for writing about her own internalized fat phobia as a fat person and how much of a struggle it can be to try to overcome that. The essays in this book outline the difficulties of existing as a fat, Black woman ranging in settings and issues, covering growing up in school, dealing with medical professionals, portrayal in pop culture, and more.
The essays in this book are very informative and I think encapsulate the feelings that commonly relate to existing in our society as a fat person. I also really admire the author for writing about her own internalized fat phobia as a fat person and how much of a struggle it can be to try to overcome that. The essays in this book outline the difficulties of existing as a fat, Black woman ranging in settings and issues, covering growing up in school, dealing with medical professionals, portrayal in pop culture, and more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Ableism, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexism, and Bullying
Moderate: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Medical content
kaitrates's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I'm glad this book exists and that I read it. It ties together many disparate threads in a way that feels cohesive. It looks at the issues it tackles (namely: fatphobia, racism, and ableism and their intersection) on multiple levels and with plenty of personal and societal examples (both research and media).
And also...
I found myself increasingly frustrated by it, wanting more depth from many chapters (especially the one on COVID), and wishing that its discussion of chronic illness was positioned alongside fatness and Blackness in the marketing and discussions of the book.
One thing that I appreciated AND was very hard to read was when Dionne shone a light on where her internalised fatphobia shows/showed up. This is SO very real and I feel like you don't often see this written about when its the reality for many of us. Sharing this part of her story plainly was very powerful and very hard.
I've noticed for myself and other reviews that part of me wanted more of a self-help book....more lessons to take away. And while there were some, no step by step process was outlined. I'm investigating this desire within myself and tracing its roots
Overall, I'm grateful to feel less alone and to have synthesised many different bits of information and experience I have—even as it made for challenging and very triggering reading, at times.
And also...
I found myself increasingly frustrated by it, wanting more depth from many chapters (especially the one on COVID), and wishing that its discussion of chronic illness was positioned alongside fatness and Blackness in the marketing and discussions of the book.
One thing that I appreciated AND was very hard to read was when Dionne shone a light on where her internalised fatphobia shows/showed up. This is SO very real and I feel like you don't often see this written about when its the reality for many of us. Sharing this part of her story plainly was very powerful and very hard.
I've noticed for myself and other reviews that part of me wanted more of a self-help book....more lessons to take away. And while there were some, no step by step process was outlined. I'm investigating this desire within myself and tracing its roots
Overall, I'm grateful to feel less alone and to have synthesised many different bits of information and experience I have—even as it made for challenging and very triggering reading, at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Racism, Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, and Mental illness
emfass's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Saving any further thoughts until HarperCollins reaches a confirmed agreement with the union.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Sexism, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
emmas_bookshelf's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Withholding my review until Harper Collins negotiates with the union
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Ableism, Mental illness, Fatphobia, and Eating disorder
the_readingraven's review
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I really enjoyed this collection of essays. This book is a mix of Evette’s personal experiences as a Black plus size woman as well as a social commentary on the fatphobia that we have in the United States. This book covers everything from what we are taught in schools, what we watch on TV, how we interact with each other in the dating scene, even transportation. It really opens your eyes to how fat people are treated systematically lower than everyone else.
Although I have enjoyed the education and reading Evette’s experiences, I went into this book, thinking that it would be about how fat women, such as myself, can gain confidence and peace with our bodies. The latter was not really discussed too much. If anything, it really teaches you what to look out for in order to better prepare, or equip yourself with standing up to these issues. Overall, I did learn a lot, and will take many elements of this book with me forward in life. I’m excited to read more of Evette’s work.
Although I have enjoyed the education and reading Evette’s experiences, I went into this book, thinking that it would be about how fat women, such as myself, can gain confidence and peace with our bodies. The latter was not really discussed too much. If anything, it really teaches you what to look out for in order to better prepare, or equip yourself with standing up to these issues. Overall, I did learn a lot, and will take many elements of this book with me forward in life. I’m excited to read more of Evette’s work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Fatphobia
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