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

Examine the book’s treatment of intersectionality. How does the author consider and address intersecting identities throughout the book?

Explore the impact of media and popular culture on shaping societal perceptions of body image. How does the book challenge or deconstruct these influences?

Examine Taylor’s use of imagery and metaphor. How do these literary devices contribute to the impact of her message?

Discuss Taylor’s views on the connection between the mind and the body, including her acknowledgement that the brain is part of the body. How does this book challenge or reinforce traditional perspectives on the connection between mental and physical health?

Examine the role of community and solidarity in the book. How does the author emphasize the importance of collective support in overcoming body-related challenges, such as shame?

Analyze Taylor’s frequent use of first-person plural pronouns (“we,” “us,” “ours,” “ourselves”). How do these pronouns impact her message? How might her message be received differently if she wrote from the second-person or third-person perspective?

Analyze the author’s perspective on beauty standards and how they contribute to a broader societal conversation on money, power, and consumerism.

In the Foreword to the second edition, Ijeoma Oluo notes that the self-help genre often reflects and perpetuates capitalism, ableism, and white supremacy. Identify and discuss the ways in which this book subverts—or upholds—genre conventions.