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The Body is Not an Apology

Sonya Renee Taylor

The Body is Not an Apology

17min

17min

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There is a fine line between bodies that are considered socially acceptable, and those that are not. As early as childhood, some of us start to suffer from the pressures of a society that does not consider all bodies equal and that perpetuates body shaming. The Body is Not an Apology aims to promote body positivity, acceptance, and above all, love for our own body and everyone else’s, regardless of their differences. According to Sonya Renee Taylor, this is the only way to start building a new future for humanity.

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Analysis and key concepts

01.

Natasha’s story was the spark that gave rise to the movement led by Sonya Renee Taylor

02.

The differences between radical self-love, self-esteem, and self-confidence

03.

Radical self-love helps us accept and celebrate our body

04.

Breaking the vicious circle of body-related apologies

05.

Health is not a good reason to criticise someone else’s body

06.

We learn to be ashamed of our bodies in childhood

07.

Beauty and gender standards are flexible and evolve over time

08.

We need to stop associating our identity with our mind and seeing our body as an accessory

09.

Getting to know our body leads to radical self-love

10.

Implicit biases condition the way we think and act

11.

How changing the conversation about our bodies can create a better world for everyone

12.

Radical self-love can transform all forms of economic, political and social aggregation

13.

Quotes

14.

Take-home message

01. Natasha’s story was the spark that gave rise to the movement led by Sonya Renee Taylor

In 2010, Sonya Renee Taylor was in Knoxville for the National Poetry Slam competition, where she met Natasha, a 30-year-old woman with cerebral palsy. Natasha told Sonya that she thought she might be pregnant by a man she was seeing casually. When Taylor asked why she had not taken precautions, Natasha answered that her disability made sex difficult enough, and that she did not want to make it even more complicated.

Taylor then began to remember all the times she had felt ashamed and had apologised to the world for her body, simply because it was seen as wrong and did not meet certain standards. She told Natasha that the body is not an apology, and over the next few days, she kept wondering why we so often see ourselves as a reflection of other people’s opinions about our body. She knew that her conversation with Natasha was too important to end there, and she decided to try and spread her message to the world. So, she founded the organisation The Body is Not an Apology, which aims to remind people that love is the only answer we need, especially when it comes to our body and how we see ourselves.

02. The differences between radical self-love, self-esteem, and self-confidence

03. Radical self-love helps us accept and celebrate our body

04. Breaking the vicious circle of body-related apologies

05. Health is not a good reason to criticise someone else’s body

06. We learn to be ashamed of our bodies in childhood

07. Beauty and gender standards are flexible and evolve over time

08. We need to stop associating our identity with our mind and seeing our body as an accessory

09. Getting to know our body leads to radical self-love

10. Implicit biases condition the way we think and act

11. How changing the conversation about our bodies can create a better world for everyone

12. Radical self-love can transform all forms of economic, political and social aggregation

13. Quotes

14. Take-home message

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Many useful tips to:

  • Explore the concept of ‘radical self-love’.
  • Learn about the damaging effects of body shaming.
  • Envision a future in which love can change the world.

Sonya Renee Taylor is a world-renowned activist and best-selling author. She founded The Body Is Not an Apology, a digital media company that explores the issues of identity, healing, and social justice through self-love. In her book, The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love, she expresses the idea that all people are born in a state of self-love, but gradually start to internalise messages of shame and injustice from systems of oppression.

Publishing house:

Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Year:

2021

Pages:

176

ISBN:

978-1523090990