Body Talk: 37 Voices Explore Our Radical Anatomy by Kelly Jensen

Body Talk: 37 Voices Explore Our Radical Anatomy Reviews

• 
  Emily May

  Had my body really betrayed me? Or, by accepting the standards expected of me and by pushing my body so hard to surpass them, had I betrayed my body?

  
  I really do love these books.
  Here We Are,
  Don't Call Me Crazy, and now
  Body Talk... I've loved each one of them with a fiery passion. I love the diverse array of voices represented; the way they are somehow light and funny, but also serious; the way they make me feel better, but also make me cry. I don't know it it's partly to do with the time this book found me at, but
  Body Talk made me sob cathartic tears.
  
  You can never represent everyone, but I admire how much these books try. This one covers scoliosis, dwarfism, fat, facial hair, teeth, cultural differences in fat/body shaming, black bodies, trans bodies, cancer, periods, sex, endometriosis, modelling, urological and endocrine disorders, amongst other things.
  
  Some of it is gory and discomfiting, though necessary, like
  Anna-Marie McLemore's piece about their misshapen uterus and the subsequent medical failures they had to endure. Some of it is heartwarming, like
  Sara Saedi's touching story of her immigrant parents who left a country they loved, worked long hours at jobs they didn’t love, to pay for her healthcare and dental care.
  
  Obviously,
  Body Talk has a lot to say about the physical aspects of the body, disability, and illness, but it is also at least as much about the emotional impact of living in a society that only caters for, and desires, certain types of bodies. You cannot talk about the human body without also addressing body-shaming and body anxiety, both of which feature heavily throughout this collection. Though, while shame, anxiety and pain are major themes, I found the book to be ultimately very uplifting and affirming.
  
  As with the other books that came before it,
  Body Talk contains a fun mix of prose, graphic stories, interviews, gorgeous artwork, playlists and Q&As with an endocrinologist and urologist. Another diverse, inspiring collection that was a pleasure to read!
  
  
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• 
  jenny✨

  Something that not a a lot of people know about me—that I don’t talk a lot about—is my lymphedema.
  
  I have primary lymphedema in my right leg, which means that it’s perpetually swollen from built-up lymph fluid in my tissues. “Primary” refers to the fact that I inherited this condition (though neither of my parents nor any of my traceable family have lymphedema) and was born with unusually constricted lymphatic vessels atop my right leg. Primary lymphedema affects about
  1 in 100,000 Americans, while secondary lymphedema—which usually develops in an arm or leg after the removal of a lymph node, for example during breast cancer surgery—is far more common: 1 in 1000 Americans have secondary lymphedema. Meanwhile, in Canada where I am,
  1 million Canadians live with lymphedema.
  
  Yet lymphedema is a condition, like many, that is hardly ever talked about. When my leg began to inexplicably and severely swell in my junior year of high school, a 2-minute Google search led me to the sinking suspicion that I had lymphedema (disclaimer: don’t WebMD your own diagnoses; please go see a professional)—yet it took over a year for me to get my official diagnosis. (Never mind the countless MRIs, CT scans, blood tests, and one extremely painful instance in which radioactive tracers were injected between my toes.)
  
  Lymphedema is incurable, but it can and must be managed, or it will progressively worsen. If you’ve heard of the condition known as elephantiasis, which is characterized by enormously swollen and hardened limbs, then you have an idea of what lymphedema can become if left unchecked. Or, as is more often the case: if one does not have the privilege of accessing resources to manage it. And many people don’t.
  
  Having lymphedema is expensive; the massage machine I use daily cost several thousand dollars, and was only affordable with the help of my health insurance. Having lymphedema is exhausting, emotionally and physically. It makes me self-conscious, especially in spaces like the beach or pool. It means that I have to wear a compression stocking every day. It means I have to be extra careful of bug bites and cuts, which can lead to potentially deadly cellulitis (bacterial skin infections).
  
  Even my most well-intentioned of friends forget about my lymphedema and my leg at times. I wish I had that luxury; instead, it infiltrates every thought I have throughout the day. I am constantly aware of its bloated pressure and surreptitiously searching for ways I can elevate my leg on the subway, in my lectures, on a date, during an exam.
  
  My lymphedema is not simply a part of me that can be compartmentalized, it is me. Some days, that makes me proud; other days, it makes me frustrated and tired and insecure. I’m still trying to own it. I am a work in progress.
  
  ◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
  
  I recount my own experience with lymphedema to give some context as to why I enjoyed this collection so much. I felt seen, affirmed, appreciated, celebrated: I read about a diversity of bodies and conditions and experiences, and I did not feel so alone in my own. Also, this marks the first time I’ve spoken publicly about my lymphedema; I like to think of it as a step toward the sort of all-encompassing acceptance that Body Talk champions.
  
  Not all essays in Body Talk were radical, but many were. Each essay was enjoyable in its own right, imparting individual wisdoms through the authors’ personal experiences with a range of bodies—fat bodies, disabled bodies, scarred bodies, hairy bodies, dwarf bodies. These stories are funny, witty, self-deprecating, poignant, painful. They touch on sex, cancer, chronic illness, fatphobia, excruciating period pain, and so much more, and also the ways in which these experiences intersect with gender, race, sexuality, and other identities.
  
  Interspersed throughout are illustrations/comics and “Body Talk FAQs,” which provide bite-sized explanations of issues like accessibility, the pink tax, disability terminology, the difference between fat acceptance and body positivity, even the mechanics behind tattoos. It was varied and informative and resonant—a pretty awesome delving-off-point into Body-Related Activism 101.
  
  ◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
  
  Finally, these were some of the essays the stood out for me:
  
  ➠ “The Body that Betrayed Me” by Eugene Grant, which interrogates societal standards for masculinity, beauty, acceptability through an intersectional lens.
  

  Had my body really betrayed me? Or, by accepting the standards expected of me and by pushing my body so hard to surpass them, had I betrayed my body?

  
  ➠ “Sixty-Four Teeth” by Sara Saedi, which shows how our bodies can manifest the sacrifices of our immigrant parents, and the complexity of emotions associated with this sacrifice.
  

  All parenting requires some form of sacrifice, but not all parents choose a lifetime of feeling marginalized so their children can flourish and bask in the freedoms they were denied….
  At thirty-seven, I still feel pangs of guilt when someone compliments my straight teeth.
  “I had braces,” I always explain.
  But there’s more to the story. My teeth, my smile, are evidence of immigrant parents, who would do anything for me.

  
  ➠ “My Body, My Feelings” by Patricia S. Elzie, which takes a nuanced and intersectional approach to the well-intentioned—yet sometimes overly simplistic—phrase of “self-love.” Elzie is a fat, queer, Black woman, and her writing gives SO MUCH food for thought about the body positivity movement’s emphasis on acceptance, and specifically how we feel about our bodies (and others’ bodies)—which reinforces the policing of such feelings about bodies.
  

  Sometimes we don’t love our bodies, and I’m fed up with being told by everyone from RuPaul to Brené Brown that our capacity to love others depends on our ability to love ourselves. I’m done with the messages that I must love my body to achieve some kind of completeness, freedom, or happiness…. I don’t always love my body or how my body is devalued in this society, but I am grateful for my body. Maybe that’s where the positivity lies for those of us who feel left out of the movement, and maybe that’s how we can find comfort in our relationships with our bodies. Perhaps we can practice body gratitude and make space for the positive, neutral, and negative feelings. For the highs, lows, and everything in between. No matter where we’re at, maybe focusing on being grateful, knowing that the gratitude may shift from day to day, will help us feel more consistently at home in our bodies.

  
  ➠ “The Blood on Their Hands” by Anna-Marie McLemore, which recounts their debilitating menstrual pain and the ways in which it has been invalidated by the medical system and culture at large.
  
  

  This is what I’ve learned from the weight of my own body dragging me to the floor two or three days out of every twenty-one:
  You do the work of your own life, even if the truth of the world and your own body have worn you down so completely that you live some of that life on the floor.
  If you cannot get up, you do the work anyway.
  If you cannot get up, you work from the floor.
• 
  destiny ♡ howling libraries

  Let me start by saying that this collection is absolutely incredible, important, and needed, and I hope to see it receive the attention it deserves because so many readers of all ages are going to see themselves in these essays when they may never feel like they've seen themselves reflected in any other book they've read. The collection tackles so many body-related topics, ranging from eating disorders to cancer to invisible disabilities to being overweight to body hair, and a ton more. I was absolutely amazed at the range and variety these authors brought to the table.
  
  With anthology reviews, I usually love to review each and every story in this collection individually, but as it's 37 separate authors in the table of contents, we'd be here all day and I'd probably run out of characters if I tried that with this collection. Instead, I'm going to offer a quick list running down all of the different experiences represented within these entries:
  
  

  - scoliosis
  - dwarfism
  - amputation
  - cancer
  - body/facial hair growth
  - braces
  - PCOS
  - scarring
  - being plus-sized/fat
  - binge eating disorder
  - being sexually active while disabled
  - abnormal/heavy periods
  - endometriosis
  - invisible illnesses/disabilities
  - EDS
  - chronic pain
  - wearing/not wearing makeup as a femme individual
  - hormone imbalances
  - Crohn's
  - neuromuscular disabilities
  - Deafness
  - optic nerve atrophy & blindness
  - being trans
  - general body positivity
  - general body-shaming

  
  As you can see, there are just so many experiences depicted within these pages, and many of them are things that we never or rarely see depicted in most other books. As a woman who fits several of the experiences shown here, I was overwhelmed by how incredible it felt just to be so understood and seen by this collection. Whether you, too, have a body you don't often see in the pages of popular titles or you're simply someone looking to better understand another human's experience, I can't recommend Body Talk highly enough!
  
  Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
• 
  Amy Imogene Reads

  5 stars
  
  A compelling must-read for kids, young adults, and adults! Body Talk is the kind of no-holds-barred, thoughtful compilation that I wish I had access to in school. It's time to demystify our bodies and break down the barriers of ignorance and taboo surrounding our bodies and our physical differences.
  
  Concept: ★★★★★
  Writing: ★★★★
  Teachings/Knowledge: ★★★★★
  Enjoyment: ★★★★
  
  Why do we give our bodies such a hard time? Why do signs of physical difference or ability mark some of us as "Other?" At the end of the day, why are we so hard on each other and on ourselves?
  
  These are just a few of the questions that Body Talk raises, and they're great starting points. I'd go so far as to the say that this anthology could be considered a primer for students in health class, because honestly there are things in here that kids (and us adults!) should be thinking critically about.
  
  What is the correct way to refer to a disabled person? Where did the phrase "body positivity" come from, and is it the inclusive term we think it is? Why is a woman's pain treated as insignificant in a doctor's office and often misdiagnosed? Did you know that young men should be aware of a specific kind of cancer?
  
  Some of these tales come from a place of education—the author is telling us about a subject in an an almost impartial manner, and it works. Some of these stories are bullet points, some are from medical professionals.
  
  Other tales come from places of pain and joy—authors who live on the other side of the social norm due to their physical form—which is outside of their control—and they're sharing their experiences with themselves on a personal level and with their surroundings. These are the stories that I will remember the most, because some of them cut deep and others highlighted some of my own biases, fears, and judgments.
  
  We all have conceptions of physicality and what it means to have a "normal" body. What many of us don't think about is how it feels to live on the other side of that line, and how our "normal" ideas can be damaging, ignorant, or at times just confused.
  
  This book is covers a LOT of topics, and everyone could read these stories and get something different out of them. We've got stories on disabilities, yes, but also on body size and shape, gender, female issues and male issues, stigmas in different communities, and windows into other people's experiences.
  
  A valuable book, and worth a read to all of us with bodies to care for and love.
  
  Thank you to Algonquin Books for Young Readers for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
  
  
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• 
  Julie

  If we think of our bodies as a playground, or perhaps even an amusement park, "Body Talk aims to throw open the gates to the park so you can better experience the highs, the lows, the thrills, and the chills of the human body."
  
  This book is filled with the personal stories of a diverse array of people. Some of them are dealing with some pretty serious issues including cancer, and chronic pain, however they write with an honesty and realism served with perspective and possibility. There is something for everyone, especially self-care.
• 
  Kaethe

  From publisher via Goodreads giveaway
  Thanks, Algonquin, this looks tasty, and not just because Jensen shares the licorice gene.
  
  ***
  
  Excellent. Jensen did a great job of pulling together a range of voices, issues, attitudes, and tone. Aimed at raising awareness and increasing knowledge around a strong range of underrepresented issues, with interstitial FAQs ranging from using respectful preferred language to how tattoos work, the book is successful as hell. But it isn't just information. There's a strong artistic sensibility in the selections and presentation where the impact is highlighted by the art. I found Barstow's work particularly pleasing.
  
  There are themes that reappear: lots of embarrassment and feeling completely outside the norm, and some acceptance. But there's a lot of intersectionality and advocacy and social activism. What I most appreciated is that these aren't inspirational narratives for making already privileged readers feel better. Disabilities are not noble or shameful, they just are. I also love the frequency of invisible disabilities.
  
  Bodies are gross and problematic and painful for many. Here's some of the difficulties they present and no surprise, it's often dealing with clueless people that's the hard part.
  
  Really well done, and necessary in every school and public library.
• 
  Melissa

  When I heard about this book on a Book Riot podcast, I wanted to read it right away. It sounded so interesting!! It was. And it was eye-opening too.
  
  One phrase that stayed with me is "You don't look sick". Like you absolutely need to have a cast, a wheelchair or something to be sick. My mom has fibromyalgia, and each time she wants to go to a store, we have to stop at the door so she can climb out of the car and go get what she needs. She needs to walk as little as possible to limit her pain.
  
  There are so many ways to be sick that isn't visible to the eye...
  
  I, for example, have been dealing with food intolerances since I was 16. At the time, a doctor diagnosed me with the irritable bowel syndrome. For someone who could eat a lot and anything she wanted, it was a big change. I had to guess what was making me ill. It was somewhat stable for 15 years, until I had my daughter. Then it worsened. And it worsened again after I had my son. I took so many tests to find what was wrong... and I think the one that will help me is the one I took last April. The results showed that I had too much of a specific bacteria in my gut. I took 5 years, or maybe 20, who knows, to know what was wrong with me. The diet is absolute torture for someone, like me, who loves to eat (no sugar of any kind, no fruit, no yeast, no bread, no gluten, no nuts, no nothing, no fun). I’ve lost more than 10 lbs (I stopped looking because it’s not a victory: I didn’t need to lose weight). and still, people tell me I'm lucky to look as I do. They don’t know a thing.
  
  Bottom of the line, I just want to say Be nice to people. Be careful what you say to your friends. You never know what they are living with at the moment. And we need to remind ourselves that we are all unique. We all are different, imperfect, and that's the beauty of it: we are beautiful.
  
  Many thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
• 
  Natalie all_books_great_and_small

  I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
  
  This is a fantastic book for children giving a voice to 37 different people to tell their story about their body and experiences they have experienced and come up against.
  From physical differences to unseen differences, this book helps the reader understand that every person and body is unique and beautiful and being different isn't bad. This book helps teach children about differences, diversity, compassion, perseverance, resiliance and respect not only towards others but towards themselves too.
  
  I did find the book did become quite repetitive in places but also interesting and insightful.
• 
  Nursebookie

  I absolutely enjoyed this anthology and I am so happy to get on this blog tour and had the opportunity to read and enjoy this book as an early reviewer.
  
  As a nurse and a mother, I really thought that this book had it all and more. The collection was so thoughtfully put together and I really admire the stories included by the thirty seven models, actors, musicians and artists as they share their most intimate experiences about their body.
  
  The broad perspectives represented really covered the topic comprehensively and made this read so delightful and highly recommendable. This gorgeous book had an amazing artwork I really enjoyed and a treat for the readers. I cannot recommend this book enough for everyone.
• 
  Sara Jovanovic

  I really liked this book, it came at a perfect time because short pieces easily managed to catch my attention, but never felt like a chore to read. The topic is really important, with 37 voices offering insight into various types of body issues. It really tackles a lot of diverse points, and I think it's educational and extremely important. It was enjoyable and I would highly recommend it, especially because we all need to feel a little bit more empathy and understanding in today's world.
• 
  Michelle

  An extremely good book that left me intrigued and often slightly uncomfortable. It made me think of the things I take for granted and even the way in which I think of those things. It made me laugh at the absurdity of life and how often good intentions can be painful. Something I would give everyone to read if I could. As full of the male perspective as the female. It did not talk down to anyone. It talked to you and asked you to listen.
• 
  Anniek

  This non-fiction anthology is a definite must read. It will make you feel seen, it will make you become more understanding and empathetic, it will teach you many things you won't be taught anywhere else.
  
  So many different topics were discussed in this book, and they were all equally important. Disability, body image, being trans, just so many different topics. I found this book really inclusive, really educational and really validating.
• 
  Sara (A Gingerly Review)

  I don’t talk about this a lot because I carry a lot of shame with it but I have a very negative relationship with my body. I battle PTSD daily, which lead to an eating disorder, anorexia, body dysmorphia, and AFRID. I wish I had a book like this years ago as I feel it would have made a huge difference. I am grateful it is out now because I hope it helps others. I talk about my battles so much more because admitting means I don’t give it full control over me. Plus, talking about it means I put my story out for others and I have found I am not alone with my issues.
  
  That being said, I loved this book more than I can put into proper words. While my issues are huge to me, people are going through so much more than what I am carrying. So many people, stories, and backgrounds are represented and it is nothing short of spectacular. I am going to push this in front of every reader I come into contact with. This book needs to be in the hands of everyone STAT.
• 
  Jennifer

  Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for a honest review!
  
  BODY TALK is 37 own voices short stories from all types of different human beings with all kind of different body types. This short story collection explores the body in a whole new way; with which struggles people can have with their bodies. Heartbreaking moments when it feels like your body has betrayed you, but also hopeful stories about what a body can do.
  
  How the things we so easily label as blemishes or shame inducing or worthy of hiding turn into something beautiful when looked at through the lens of the people who love us. - Rachael Lippincott
  
  I don't know how many times I wished I had a physical copy of this book, it was so many lines and quotes, sections and paragraphs I wanted to highlight, write down somewhere to remember in the future. To say to me when I struggle with my own body. For me, this book was somewhat triggering, due to that I'm, myself, have a chronic illness. I've scars on my stomach and on my upper chest that is visibly. I've been trying to hide those scars for years, and even though people around me have named them, for example, one of the scars is named "lizard", I've still struggling. Therefore, the quote above really made me think.
  
  This is a short story collection to be read slowly. Really read every word and try to put yourself in other peoples shoes. Try to see how they see the world and what they need to do to accomplish each day to be a good day. What they have been struggling through throughout the years. And when you're done with one short story, reflect on yourself and your relationship with your own body.
  
  I loved all of the discussions in this story collection, I really enjoyed how deeply diverse it was in every aspect. Read this, and think about what amazing things you can do with your body.
• 
  Eli Claire

  This collection of essays about bodies - disabled, fat, hairy, queer, broken, tattooed, and otherwise - was a quick, interesting read from a lot of unique voices. There were essays about scoliosis (actually, three of them - I was surprised about that), dwarfism, tattoos, EDS, queerness, facial scarring, pronouns, Deafness, Black hair, cancer, and so much more. There was a bit too much “believe in yourself” advice, because seriously, that’s easier said than done, but I appreciated the variety of voices and the shortness of the essays. I didn’t know starting out that this was a YA collection, but there’s nothing wrong with that - just gave me a bit of different perspective. It would have been nice to have a book like this when I was a teen!
  
  All in all, an important collection of essays.
  
  I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Casey the Reader

  Thanks to Algonquin Books for the free advance copy of this book.
  
  BODY TALK is a collection of works from 37 authors, celebrities, illustrators and more exploring all the many ways to have and to live in a body.
  
  At first glance, BODY TALK may appear to be another book for tweens and teens talking about how their bodies are changing. And there's some of that, but wow, it is so much more. This book is a place where everyone gets to show what it's like inside their body. Fat bodies, disabled bodies, Black and brown bodies, trans bodies, hairy bodies, chronically ill bodies, and more. And they're all about how there's no right way to have a body, no dumb questions to have about your body, and about taking ownership of and joy in the complexities and oddities of being alive.
  
  One thing that struck me as an adult reader of this book is how many of these stories are by women who had a hard time getting medical professionals to take their pain and illness seriously, especially when it had to do with reproductive health. It might have stuck out to me since I've had similar struggles, but it is still rather shocking to have a book with such a broad array of experiences and still see so many stories with this common throughline.
• 
  Mo

  This book is composed of 36 memoirs about body (which is also why I’m not rating this book as a whole), as you could have probably guessed from the title. Bodies in many different forms and needs than the regular ‘norm’. To give you some examples of different subjects that are covered: scoliosis, being transgender, body hair, living in a wheelchair, obesity, eating disorders, cancer, premenstrual syndrome, sexuality, dwarfism, STD’s…
  
  Body Talk is structured in an appealing way, with many images, different handwriting, and information boxes alternating the memoirs. Of course, the topics discussed are quite serious but there is still a lot of humour incorporated.
  
  I learned a lot from this book: mainly about different conditions of the body and how to ‘cope’ with these and with the prejudices surrounding them. But also about identity first language, for example: a disabled person would prefer to be called that instead of a person with a disability. Or about the pink tax, meaning that many products for women are way more expensive than those for men, without having fancy additions.
  
  Other things I already knew, but am still always surprised about. Like that they don’t show blood in menstruation commercials, thereby maintaining the taboo surrounding menstruation. Or that we would like plastic straws to be thrown out, but that they were actually designed to help disabled people (come on people, to reduce plastic it might be better to just stop eating fish altogether instead of using sustainable straws).
  
  Of course, many of the writers aren’t professionals, and some parts are quite cliché. I didn't enjoy reading messages like ‘perhaps I was so desperate to protect my body from those who would break it that I ended up breaking myself’ (does that even make sense?). Or ‘when I wasn’t looking, the tough outer shell I wore around my body translated into a tough outer shell around my personality, too’. The best parts are when the authors keeps it simple and close to their thoughts and experiences.
  
  But all in all, some memoirs will definitely stay with me for a while. The beauty is that every reader will have different chapters that speak to them and can make them feel understood. Therefore, the book is educational and self-helping at the same time. I think the main message is: try to fight your prejudices, for example by educating yourself or by asking questions. Reading this book would be a great start.
  
  QUOTES
  
  Eating Disorders & Diet Culture
  ‘We hardly speak about fat girls having eating disorders (…) I’m still fighting against all the ways this world tells me I’m unworthy.’
  ‘I am with you when you avoid mirrors. I am with you when you cry. I am with you when fatphobia goes beyond just feeling unpretty. When it causes the world to value you and your opinions and your labor and your life less. I am with you when you imagine the Thin and Happy ™ you. (…) I am with you when you are in pain. When you overeat from the stress and strain and feel awful.’
  ‘Standards that exclude [other bodies than the norm] should be torn down. We can start by rejecting what they’re selling. We can start by loving who we are and what we already have’
  
  Disabilities & Prejudices
  ‘I’m constantly told I’m too pretty to be in a wheelchair or too young to be disabled, when the truth is that I can be pretty and be in a wheelchair and I can be young and disabled. Disability does not discriminate; people do.’
  ‘Educate yourself on what kinds of disabilities are out there, both invisible and visible. Catch yourself before you judge someone who walks out of their car in a disabled parking space.’
  ‘You’re weak if you can’t deal with the pain, and you’re some sort of champion if you can.’
  
  Feminism & Beauty Standards
  ‘When (women) we aren’t beautiful, we arent as desirable even when we are awesome at what we do, and when we are super beautiful, we arent taken seriously.’
  ‘Male bodies are mostly presented as manly standards for men to reach. Women’s bodies are mostly presented as sexual objects for men to want.’
• 
  ivy francis

  All I want in life is my favorite YA authors giving me the sex talk.
• 
  Sara (lyrical.reads)

  Rating: 4.25 🌟
  
  Content Warnings: (all challenged) ableism, transphobia, racism, sexism, fatphobia, aphobia, chronic pain
  
  *Note: I received an e-ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
  
  The anthology is divided into six sections: HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES, AND TOES, ON THE SURFACE, COSMIC FORMS, BELOW THE BELT, THINGS YOU CANNOT SEE, and OUR WHOLE SELVES. I really loved the FAQs that were included, especially some of the topics like the terminology to use for disabled people (“disabled people” instead of “people with disabilities” since the former acknowledges that someone’s disability impacts their experiences and how they live life), body positivity vs. fat acceptance, normal side effects of menstruation, and how straw bans impact disabled people). In addition, I will be checking out the further reading that is included at the end of the anthology. Body Talk starts necessary conversations and these other works that are suggested helps carry on the momentum.
  
  There are a wide variety of essays. There are pieces about back braces (scoliosis), sexuality, dwarfism, muscle deterioration, disabilities you would not necessarily “see,” and “inspiration porn.” There is pain and hope and life and the basic desire to be seen as a person first and strength in loving yourself.
  
  I particularly loved Tyra Bank’s first essay, “Sixty-Four Teeth” by Sara Saedi (she is Iranian, family are immigrants, and they were undocumented for a while) which told about the lengths her parents would go for her), Anna-Marie McLemore’s piece on their period, and amanda lovelace’s story about her asexuality (and pansexuality) and the acephobia that exists within the queer community. One of the final pieces of the anthology by a urologist, I.W. Gregorio, was also very entertaining to read. There was a discussion about hormones with two doctors, and it made me realize that although there tends to be the casual blame on someone’s “hormones,” do we really know what that means? Do we really understand what our hormones are and what they do?
  
  Body Talk is a collection that is needed in the world. Our bodies truly are something else; yet, how much time do we actually take to get to know them or discuss them? Furthermore, Body Talk features diverse voices and a wide intersection of identities. The anthology truly shows that correct representation is necessary to counter the stereotypes and stigma. This kind of representation also lets those who don’t usually see themselves in the media see at least a piece of themselves that hits home.
  
  I really enjoyed reading this anthology, and it answered many questions that I never realized I had. Plus it brought up many good points that I want to think about further. I’ll end this review with another quote from Body Talk:
  
  "Everyone’s body deserves to be celebrated. Everyone deserves to feel proud of who they are."
• 
  soph

  I am so incredibly lucky to have read this book, which features many stories by various authors about their own experiences about their body, and this was just, inspiring. I think this is a book everybody should read because the stories in themselves are important, but it is so much body positivity and I feel everyone needs that in their life. Heck, it made me figure things about my own body and I am grateful for that.
  
  I’m not gonna lie, at some points I had tears in my eyes (and sometimes all over my face) because just reading the experience from the point of view of the authors? It really made me feel things. I felt for them and their sometimes pain. I felt for the fact that they were now happy and accepting with their bodies.
  
  

  We need to demolish the stereotypes around what disability looks like.

  
  All these stories are uniques because they are someone's, but we still can all relate to some of the things people felt (or not) in their own way, especially for the people who have the same disability or problem the author talked about. How many times did it bring me to tears (of pain or joy)? Too many to count.
  
  

  Perhaps this is how: by knowing that none of us has this completely figured out and we are all learning together. We must be patient both with ourselves on our own journeys and with others on theirs.

  
  This book also allowed me to discover things I didn't know before, things about some disabilities, or the disability itself and I feel I learned a lot just by reading these stories. This is why ownvoices is important, these people are the more qualified to talk about this, because it's their experiences. Of course it will be different for everyone because we all are unique but it gives us people to relate to.
  
  It was not only stories about the body, but also stories about the emotional journey the writers all took when learning to live with what they, at first, didn't like or accept. Seeing them be more (or totally) OK with themselves by the end of the day makes me hopeful. One day I will also accept my body as it is. I am capable of that.
  
  

  I'm done with the message that I must love my body to achieve some kind of completeness, freedom, of happiness.

  
  This anthology is also incredibly diverse within itself. There are talks about disabilities and about the body itself, inside and outside of it, but also artworks, FAQs and many other little things that allow us to learn.
  
  I will say it once again, this is a book everyone needs to read. Its message is so important, people need to read it, see it, and accept it.
  
  

  The part of us that are different are the part of us that truly make us special. Oftentimes, they're parts of us that tell our story.
  Love yourself enough to make it a beautiful one.

  
  
  you can also read this review on
  my blog!
• 
  Kate A

  Isn’t it funny when you end up reading a book at the exact point that you need it? I have never really accepted myself, always wishing that I could change certain features and hoping that one day I would look more like what I was shown an attractive female should look like. It has taken me a long time to accept that such ideals have in fact been sold to me by an industry that needs my investment, I was never going to fit into that mould but I can actually be happy with that realisation.
  
  This is why I think Body Talk is such an important book because it highlights that even if you have a body that is out with that “ideal” you are still valid. I only wish that I had managed to read it when I was a teenager and then maybe I wouldn’t have been so negative towards myself for so long.
  
  I had gone into reading this book thinking that it would be a collection of essays about different body types but in fact it is about so much more than the body as a physical presence, it is about our mental and cultural relationship to our bodies too. This is the type of book that really helps to breakdown the concept that there is a “normal” type of body to have and reinforces that inclusivity should be known as normal.
  
  I also liked that instead of just personal accounts, there were illustrations, and comic strips, there were also interspersed factual sections of body FAQ’s that covered all sorts of topics and I thought were really interesting. The change of styles helped to keep the book accessible and gave me a pause to digest what I had just read or looked at and in some cases allowed me to
  
  There was a good mix between voices that I already knew and ones that I hadn’t come across before, what surprised me about the stories was that I hadn’t expected to feel so hopeful and uplifted after reading them. I think because it is such a serious topic I imagined that I was going to feel that kind of atmosphere whilst reading but actually every contributor managed to get across the importance of their message but still make it an insightful and enjoyable reading experience.
  
  This is the first anthology that I have read from Kelly Jensen but I am already deciding which one I’ll be picking up next.
  
  Originally posted on
  everywhere and nowhere
• 
  Laura

  This YA nonfiction anthology, which addresses a whole range of topics related to bodies, including chronic illness, disability, puberty and self-esteem, is so fantastic and important. There are issues/conditions discussed here that I don’t think I’ve ever seen mentioned in YA (like PCOS), or that I’ve never seen an own voices portrayal of in YA (like facial differences). It’s well-written, engaging, moving, and edifying. It also doesn’t shy away from presenting conflicting points of view, like following a body-positive piece with an intersectional feminist critique of the limits of the body positivity movement, especially for women of color and trans women. And I love that many of the people featured are really prominent and successful (like a Deaf Broadway actor) and can serve as awesome examples and ~role models for teens.
  
  As in all anthologies, there were a couple I loved less than the others, or that I had some quibbles with (for example, I like the piece from a urologist, but it uses terms like “obesity” that I feel like shouldn’t be in a generally very body/fat-positive book like this). But the overwhelming majority were great (and even that one had some really good parts!). I especially liked that most of the writers were careful to use gender neutral/inclusive language and in general seemed very thoughtful about the words they chose.
  
  I also love the title, because it sounds vaguely
  intimate and taboo, and I think teens will pick it up and maybe find something different than they expected, but also great. Highly recommend.
  
  (A personal note: part of the reason this took me so long to read is that I’ve been newly diagnosed with a disability caused by Covid and at times this was so comforting & relatable & helpful, and at other times I was a bit too raw for it).
  
  TW: references to physical abuse, ableism, disbelief/gaslighting, chronic pain, sexism, eating disorders
  
  I read an ARC — thanks to Netgalley and the publisher! I apologize for my extremely late review. This is out now!
• 
  Mehsi

  I received this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
  
  A gorgeous book that I am delighted to have the pleasure to read. It features short stories about mental health, weight, muscles, scoliosis, braces, cancer, puberty, LGBT, and many more. All are honest and beautiful. These are the kind of stories I always tend to read first when I see them in magazines. I just love stories about people's lives, about something they experienced, well you get the idea. Some stories made me cry, others made me laugh, that all has to do with how the person wrote their story, some just wrote it with humour. I hope that explains it correctly, otherwise sorry. There are also illustrations added and I like the style of them. Next to short stories by various people we also have FAQs and some other things that fit the theme, I do like that they were added, though those were the ones the hardest to read due to what I will talk about in the next paragraph.
  
  One of the things, and which is why it took me much longer to read than normal, was that the format just didn't work for my Kindle. While doing the blog tour for this book I went on Amazon to grab an excerpt and I found out why my Kindle just ate stuff up. Definitely not a book meant for Kindle, images here and there, borders, and more. So yeah, it wasn't always easy to read as words went missing or were in weird places, sentences broken. Random Body Talk throughout pages.
  
  The other was that some of the stories could have been edited just a dash bit better. Now at times there were repetitions of sentences, jumping around which made me confused (like we would go from past > present and back again), and some other things. Again, the stories were great, honest and wonderful. Yes, I repeat this as people are very sensitive about things.
  
  All in all, a collection I would highly recommend to all.
• 
  Lexi (Reads and Riesling)

  Thank you so much to Algonquin YR for including me on the Blog Tour for Body Talk edited by Kelly Jensen!
  
  I remember, when I was about 12 or 13, watching Tyra Banks look into the camera and say “Kiss my fat ass” while wearing a swimsuit she had been vilified in the press for wearing while on the beach. I don’t think I had yet allowed negative body talk to seep into my brain at that point, but I knew that was a significant moment. She effectively gave the middle finger to everyone and anyone who dared speak poorly about women’s bodies simply because they existed outside of a size 2.
  
  Where was this book when I was in the throes of my eating disorder? If I could go back in time, I would give myself a copy of Body Talk and have every single page marked as “read when...you feel like punishing yourself for eating cake” “read when...you feel like you shouldn’t have one more slice of pizza” “read when...you want to play basketball, but running burns more calories.” I would tell my younger self that I really should focus more on my loss of control with my therapist now, rather than 6 years down the line. I would tell myself that every body is beautiful and is there to take us from place to place and there is nothing inherently better about a thin body than a fat body. Don’t listen to those “compliments” because they aren’t compliments at all, but rather society’s way of conditioning you to see yourself as ugly so you spend more money. Forget that!
• 
  AlexH Reads

  ** Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an E-ARC. All opinions are my own. **
  I've read Kelly Jensen's other books: Here We Are and (Don't) Call me Crazy so when I saw this one was coming out, I was really excited. This book has so much rep including fat rep, LGBTQ+ rep, disability rep, chronic illness rep, and hard of hearing rep. All of it is own voices. A lot of the subjects discussed in this book are concerned taboo in society, but this book I think will be breaking down barriers for different discussions. This book gives everyone a chance to see themselves in it because it has so much representation in it. Not only that but the representation is own voices and nonfiction. I can see this being required reading for schools as well as ways to teach kids, young adults, and adults how to be respectful to people that are considered different from what the media shows. This is something that is super important for young adults as it talks about the body and different types of bodies and doesn't shy away from taboo subjects. This could easily make a kid feel safe in their own body by reading that there is absolutely nothing wrong with them and that there are other people that have gone through the same thing and are successful.
• 
  Kristina Lenarczyk

  This novel is a wonderful collection of positive, inspiring stories from a very diverse group of people and allowed me to solidify my appreciation for myself. These stories were real and honest and gave readers a deeper understanding of these contributors and the vulnerability it took to write these stories.
  
  Our bodies are wonderful things capable of greatness, and this collection explores all aspects of that. I am glad to have read this and proud to have been included in this tour.
  
  Check out my full review on my blog!
  
  https://theprincessgummybearreviews.b...
• 
  Lys

  4.5 stars. I love essay collections and this is a fantastic one! I love the wide variety of experiences depicted in this anthology and how easy it is to jump around and read (or reread) the selections that speak to you the most. I do think that the Tyra Banks sections felt out of place, however the overall impact of the collection is still incredibly strong. One thing for certain is that every teen has a body and every teen has felt a certain way about that body at some point – this opens up great avenues for conversation and reflection, as well as that awesome feeling of being seen. I wish I could go back in time and hand this to my teenage self.
• 
  Vanessa Funk

  3.5 stars - I suppose this was meant for young adult but I found a number of the essays fit for both young adult and adult. I really enjoyed some of the essays but I found it troubling that Tyra Banks had two articles featured about body positivity when she has definitely caused plenty of negative body issues in young women.
• 
  Kajree Gautom

  This book is so positive and optimistic and full of great accounts from real life experiences. I learned a lot and enjoyed it throughout!! It's too good and too important!!
• 
  N

  I didn't get to finish this before it expired, but I read about half of it and loved everything I had read so far. This book is inclusive, informative, and entertaining. Publishers, we need more books with this type of representation!