The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love

by Sonya Renee Taylor Narrated by Sonya Renee Taylor

Overview

In a revolutionary departure from everything we've been told about body-positivity, The Body Is Not an Apology founder Sonya Renee Taylor forges the inextricable bond between radical self-love and social justice. Systems of oppression thrive off of our inability to make peace with bodies and difference. When we develop the ability to honor difference and radically accept ourselves, we have the capacity and desire to apply those skills to the larger world. Radical self love not only dismantles shame and self loathing in us, but has the power to dismantle global systems of injustice, because when we make true peace with our bodies, only then do we have the capacity to truly make peace with the bodies of the others. The purpose of this book is to get us to stop treating our bodies like cars, to stop acting as if our minds are not part of our bodies. Reading this book will move us beyond these fraught and all-too-often hidden lives, where we easily forget that we are whole humans having whole human experiences in our bodies.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

12/18/2017
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. (Feb.)

From the Publisher

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…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.”
-Publishers Weekly
 
“‘Survival is damn hard,’ Sonya Renee Taylor says in the introduction to her marvelous new book, The Body Is Not an Apology. A writer, poet, educator, and performer, Taylor brings the message that self-sacrifice and self-flagellation keep us from our highest good. Her manifesto on radical self-love is life altering—required reading for anyone who struggles with body image.”
-Claire Foster, Foreword Review
 
“What spiritual teachers like Marianne Williamson refer to as natural intelligence, Taylor calls “radical self-love”. She has a way with action-packed words. When others talk about negative body image, she responds with “the body is not an apology”. And she’s written a whole book in response to the question “How do we live our highest, most radically unapologetic lives?”… Covering topics like Body-Shame Origin Stories, Media Matters, Body Terrorism, Changing Hearts, and Unapologetic Agreements, Taylor seeks to put the history, politics, and solutions of this topic into a logical, organized, and motivating format.”
-Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight

“From the moment I met Sonya Renee, I knew my life, my world, and the way I view myself and others around me would never be the same. The Body Is Not an Apology is essential reading for those of us who crave understanding and those who are already on the path to learning how beautiful and complex our bodies are. It will empower you with the tools to navigate a world that is often unkind to those of us who whether by choice or design don't adhere to society’s standard of beauty. Her words will echo in your heart, soul, and body just as they have in mine.”
—-Tess Holiday, Plus Model, Author & Founder of Eff Your Beauty Standards
 
“The Body Is Not an Apology is a gift, a blessing, a prayer, a reminder, a sacred text. In it, Taylor invites us to live in a world where different bodies are seen, affirmed, celebrated, and just. Taylor invites us to break up with shame, to deepen our literacy, and to liberate our practice of celebrating every body and never apologizing for this body that is mine and takes care of me so well. This book cracked me open in ways that I'm so grateful for. I know it will do the same for you.”
—Alicia Garza, cocreator of the Black Lives Matter Global Network and Strategy + Partnerships Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance
 
“The Body Is Not an Apology is a radical, merciful, transformational book that will give you deep insights, inspiration, and concrete tools for launching the revolution right inside your own beloved body. Written from deep experience, with a force of catalytic energy and so much love.”
—Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues and In the Body of the World
 
“In 2017, #thefirsttimeisawmyself was a trending hashtag and Netflix campaign. As a disabled woman, #thefirsttimeireadmyself may well have been this book. Thank you, Sonya. Bought two copies, one for me and one for my daughter.”
—Rebecca Cokely, Senior Fellow for Disability Policy, Center for American Progress, disability rights activist, and mom

“Sonya Renee Taylor is a treasure that this world simply does not deserve. The Body Is Not an Apology is the gift of radical love the world needs! We are all better off because of her presence, talent, compassion, and authentic work. Thank you, Sonya, for all that you do.”
—Jes Baker, aka The Militant Baker, author of Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls
 
“In these times, when the search for answers to the mounting injustices in our world seems to confound us, Sonya Renee Taylor offers a simple but powerful place to begin: recovering our relationship with our own bodies. To build a world that works for everyone, we must first make the radical decision to love every facet of ourselves. Through lucid and courageous self-revelation, Taylor shows us how to realize the revolutionary potential of self-love. The body is not an apology’ is the mantra we should all embrace.” 
—Kimberlé Crenshaw, legal scholar and founder and Executive Director, African American Policy Forum 

Product Details

BN ID:	2940191009933
Publisher:	Ascent Audio
Publication date:	02/13/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos