This book made me feel so seen! The perfect antidote to diet culture.

As someone who has lurked on the outskirts of body positivity spaces online for years this book still managed to be absolutely groundbreaking. It is so refreshing to see the subject from a queer point of view and Essie done an incredible job at addressing the subject with nuance and care and was so excellently inclusive.

I really enjoyed every section of this book even the parts that didn’t relate to my own journey and it was fun and insightful to read a wide range of perspectives. But certain parts really hit home for me. I was also so pleased to see people who live in poverty acknowledged as this is seldom addressed elsewhere.

Very insightful yet easy read that left me feeling proud.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book.
This was an excellent look into body image, especially within the queer and disabled community.
I think it would be incredibly beneficial for people who are questioning their gender and sexuality, though anyone would be able to take something from it, especially regarding body issues, since let's be honest, society ensures we all have.
I appreciated that Essie included their story, alongside others opinions and answers to the topics addressed.

I read nowhere near as much non-fiction as I should, but this book was so empowering it's convinced me to pick more up. The writing is very accessible and reads like an essay in parts which makes it so digestible.

This book discusses so many topics including each chapter having quotes from someone (or people) who have experienced situations that the chapter focused on.

‘Bodies change like the tides and so do we.’

It’s as if some divine entity heard my thoughts, and sent me this beautiful book as comfort and for knowledge that I am apart of a brave, diverse community.

This book is answering the questions i’ve feared to ask, and validating my experiences and thoughts. It’s feels like a hug from a wiser queer angel. I feel safe within these pages. I’m seeing myself and my identity represented and learning about how many other factors play into how people see themselves. The connections between Race, Class, Sexuality, etc blew my mind.

Reading the perspective of others with different identities and life experiences to me was eye opening into the oppression and discrimination that is being faced. It showed me that some queer experiences are universal. Specifically the section on healthcare and safety when being queer and plus size was so comforting. I’m constantly told to lose weight and that it must be the problem; even when the issues have been prominent in my life (yes even when i was thin). I’ve never been able to string together the emotions i’ve felt about my body and why they were so intertwined with my sexuality but now I have some clarity I feel almost a new sense of freedom to exist in myself as myself.

I’ve always felt myself pushing against the cisheteronormative narrative, but never have the pressures of separating myself from such a damaging closed off community been so clearly dissect and explained.

I think all in all this book was really inspiring and it covered a lot of important topics. I have a lot of great quotes highlighted. Not much more to say, I loved it

Do you believe that some things happen when you really need them in your life? That's how I felt while reading this book. I've struggled with my weight and my body for a long time and I still am. The only issue is that my body is not good enough for the people around me. I have days when I don't feel right in my skin, but there are days when I feel great. Our society idealizes skinny people, but forget that we don't have the same body types and that they change for a million different reasons. Fat phobia is everywhere even though people don't want to admit that. Skinny is related with being healthy, having wider hips or a few stretch marks no.
I like all the things the author wrote in this book, there are so many new things I've learned about queer people and other people's experiences. It's really important to educate yourself and understand some things before say something stupid. We are all different and have our own stories and problems, this doesn't mean we are not good enough. I wish I had read this when I was a teenager. I think this will help many people not to feel alone.

''You deserve to be truly and honestly you.'' Always.

Thank you NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the ARC. Most importantly, thank you Essie Dennis for this amazing book.

‘’You might think that everything will get harder once you show the world who you truly are but you will feel a weight lifted off your shoulders like nothing before.’’

This book is such an interesting account of the themes gender, sexuality and the way they influence our relationship our body. There are so many parts of this book that I relate with in terms of sexuality, and so many things I learned about the gender elements that I haven’t experienced. In non-fiction, I like to think about intersectionality and privilege. Essie is very good at recognising their white privilege, for example, and throughout this book, has researched and included the opinions of own voice accounts, including people of colour and trans people. It’s important to read the trigger warnings before going into this book as it might not yet be the time in their journey for some individuals to read about the various themes, but I would recommend it for those who feel they would benefit from reading it, or those who might like to learn more. This book reflects on so many issues and nuances of its main themes. Like with many non-fiction books, I read it in small sections, and I think it’s an excellent book to get you thinking, and to allow for further reading on the topics most impactful to you as a reader. I’d love to read more about these themes, and in doing so, look for a diversity of authors. This is also a very quotable book, and I relate to lots, for example:

‘’Even now, being openly LGBTQ+ as a teenager is really challenging… Those pivotal experiences of coming out to understand yourself and your identity, breaching into the world of dating, are all things that queer people are not always able to do as young people.’’

And of lockdown:

‘’This time has been difficult but don’t you feel more in touch with yourself that you have ever felt before? I’ve been mulling over this idea that slowing down has given us a space to reappraise our queerness and our body image.’’

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this book. I can't say enough good things about how I felt while reading this. I felt loved. I looked on Essie's experiences and the other experiences from the folks they interviewed for this book and I felt "Seen." I know that sounds trite, but to see your experiences or any one's similar lived experiences in others is so validating. Reading, to paraphrase James Baldwin, makes you realize you are not, nor have you ever been, alone. Five stars, no hesitation. I loved it! I read it in a 4 hour shift at work in one sitting!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4507466358

I feel lucky to have received this ARC. Queer Body Power is helpful, though provoking and important. I highlighted and took notes on so many parts, and feel like I learned so much more. The writing was very enjoyable, and this book felt like a safe discussion space, answering questions and providing guidance. A great read.

The book that younger me needed, and that present me is grateful for. Throughout the entirety of the book, Essie sheds light on the inherent link between queer identity and body image, something my 22 year old self had never thought to consider linked! But it makes so much sense. As a queer, working class, disabled woman whose body has changed so much over the past few years due to chronic illness, this book was everything I’ve needed for so long in order to work on being kind to myself, stop trying see myself through the male gaze, and only focus on how what I wear or how I look makes ME feel. I would recommend this book a million times over to every single queer individual who has ever struggled even slightly with their body image, accepting their sexuality, and loving themselves. We are all so valid and incredible in our own way - thank you Essie for reminding us <3

This book is the affirming and well researched voice for queer people on their body acceptance journey

This book resonated a lot with me as I am a plus size woman navigating being queer as I have recently came out as asexual. It will be helpful to a lot of people. I felt seen and validated reading this.

I sincerely believe that this book will change some people’s lives.

Reading it honestly felt less like I was reading a self-help book, and more like I was having a conversation with a person who’s had a lot of experiences, and wants what is best for me. In that sense, it almost felt kind of like a memoir, in how much of the advice is grounded in lengthy description of personal experience, but it makes the whole message more personable. It causes a little bit of feeling like “Wow, that sounds like good advice, and that’s so great for you, but what you’re describing sounds impossible for me, and I almost feel envious that it was achievable for you,” which more speaks to it’s impact on me as a reader, and highlighting how necessary these conversations are.

My only fear for this book is I think it will be dated very quickly. Many parts are written in the current tense, saying “last year” or “a few months ago”, which currently makes sense in the context that I am reading it, but won’t in a few years time. A prime example of this is the small section entitled “Our Body Image Post-Pandemic”, despite still currently being in the pandemic.

Editing Notes:
- Page 150, the author writes, "I will use quote marks around the WORK blemish," when I think they mean "I will use quote marks around the WORD blemish,"

“I want us to write an infinite number of books about this issue, from all different perspectives, because understanding the feeling of isolation that can come from struggling with queerness and body image is something I know I would have benefited from when I was younger. So, if you are reading this book and it brings something out in you that you want to put on paper, do it. I want to read it. I want our community to have more resources.”

This is the tone that carries the book; reminiscent of a mentor sitting down with you with a cup of tea to discuss an array of personal, and likewise, complicated topics. There’s no preaching, just understanding. Essie, as a young queer, plus size disabled person herself, discusses the intersection of health, body size, gender, sexuality, class and the unfortunate consequences that society, from social media to the normalisation of disordered eating, has on our bodies and lives. Bringing in other queer icons on all the various topics to present their range of experiences and combat that isolation that Essie talks about above. Together with statistics and fact, even if sometimes it is just highlighting the lack of research and the potential inadequacies and bias in research, there is a well-maintained balance between personal reflection, others voices and fact.

As a queer plus size young woman myself, growing up with very little money, there were definitely elements I could relate to. To hear others also feel the same way is incredibly powerful. My own experiences felt like they had been given a voice, but also, there were quite a few discussions, especially on the intersection of both sexuality, body, health and gender, which I honestly have never considered before. This is a relatively short book, however, after every chapter, I needed to pause and soak in and work through all the new information and perspectives I had been given. Additionally, there are many areas I don’t have experience in and it was so good to read own voices of those who actually have experience and to gain greater insight. I finished this book feeling both heard and challenged whilst knowing I’ve learnt something important, to take with me into society.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel like you belong to any of the communities previously mentioned, I’m still going to recommend you this book. It is vital that we work together to combat the normalisation of toxic behaviours and other issue areas, but also it is so important that we can have a greater understanding of each other and the silent battles we might be facing.

"You are worthy of companionship regardless of what your body looks like."

I just wanted to leave you with that one quote. There are so many parts of this book I want to share (which largely adds up to please read this awesome book) but this last quote, in particular, has really stuck with me. It’s a phrase I don’t think we hear enough and I know I’ll need to hear again. Just like ‘Queer Body Power’ which I know will be a book I return to.

Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Kingsley Publishers and Essie Dennis for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

Despite the lack of studies available on body image issues within the queer community, this was a very well researched self-help book on body positivity within the queer community.

This book discusses various topics including, but not limited to, sexuality, gender roles, gender dysphoria, body dysmorphia, eating disorders, fatphobia within the LGBTQ+ community, ableism, and more.

For me, the most interesting parts of this book were the important discussions on how media and marketing portray gay men and women in a very specific way - gay men are almost always portrayed as either being thin or fit, while lesbians are typically portrayed as being more masculine and 'butch'. These portrayals of queer men and women can lead to feelings of insecurities amongst those who feel that they don't have the 'perfect body' to fit their sexuality. It's disconcerting to know that many LGBTQ+ people often feel pressured to conform and display a certain level of masculinity, feminity, or androgyny and often worry if their image is masculine/feminine/androgynous enough to fit in with the rest of the queer community.

While I applaud the author for the amount of research that was done (from qualitative studies, as well as from interviews) and the vast scope of issues that were covered, I wasn't particularly fond of the delivery of the content, especially with respect to the abundance of quotes from the interviewees. I would have personally preferred a collection of personal essays, or more background stories/"case studies" about the interviewees.

As the author is a bi-, gender fluid, disabled, plus-sized person, I felt like the sections on gender roles, ableism, eating disorders, and fatphobia were the strongest and most well-written sections. I think the author would have benefitted from having other authors contribute to the other portions of the books to help strengthen the content, rather than throwing in quotes from a series of interviews (it makes those sections feel less personal and relateable).

With the lack of queer body positivity books available, this book will have to do. Hopefully, this book will help pave the way for more research and books to be published on the topic of queer body positivity.

I appologise, I am going to be very harsh on this book. Due to no real issue of the book itself, it was near unreadable to me. I trust this book can help a lot of people, but I feel like I am beyond it's scope, and the author is speaking from a position of privilege far beyond the experiences I had hoped to find advice for. It's hard to hear someone tell you they struggled having to wear a size 12, when you yourself wear a 19 and can only shop in specialty stores. In the same vein, is it hard to read about someone's experience being sexualised when you live in a body that is considered beyond sexual appeal. I am unsure if the author realises that the body described as the one they had to learn to live with is the body others envy. I think this sense of awareness was lacking in the writing, if I am honest. This, is what made reading this book very hard on me, as it just caused so much mental distortion that i put it away on the verge of crying various times.
On a related note, I was happy to see the book mention gender dysphoria, but it did nothing to give any advice on dealing with it other than "learn to accept yourself"... this may be helpful for some, but it doesnt reflect the experiences of many. Sometimes, bodies need to be changed to be a home for those living in them, with hormones or surgery, and I feel this aspect of the queer community is very overshadowed here.

Ultimately, I think the match between me and the book may not have been ideal, and I would prefer not to give it a star rating at all. But I think my view needs to be out here as well, for people to be able to make an educated decision on wether or not this book is for them.

This book...! This was so, so helpful! As I'm struggling with my self-image, this was a great source of wisdom for me. The sprinkles on the icing were the insights from the queer lens. Absolutely recommended!

best non fiction I’ve read in a very VERY long time. this spoke to me on ways, wow. it was political, social, had such great analysis and it was so full of representation. It broke down society standards incredibly well. this is a really REALLY important book. everyone should read it, queer or not. because understand yourself is as important as understanding others!

Highly highly recommend this for anyone looking to expand their body positivity to include critical thought about the intersections of sexuality, gender identity, gender presentation, and disability. A really accessible, revolutionary read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the ARC.

Essie Dennis’ writing is personal, political, relatable and accessible. Queer Body Power starts off with a careful and thought-out content warning which gives the reader a head start on figuring out which sections and chapters they may or may not need to skip. Dennis explores some heavy topics within this non-fiction publication such as: body image, eating disorders, ableism, fatphobia, racism and transphobia, which are all interconnected areas of society which need dismantling, the warning at the beginning is done with care.

Although this book is non-fiction with each chapter within Queer Body Power being written in essay-form, Dennis’ exploration and explanation does not gate-keep. The language used flows easily and the ideas presented are easy to grasp.

Although my own experiences as a queer, fat femme may be different, I found myself reflected within this book. The way that body image and queerness specifically intertwine is highly fascinating and I was able to read and think back on my own relationships with my queerness, my body and with food.

As someone who has come from a queer studies background, this book made me feel as though I was in a long conversation with a knowledgable, more experienced queer person than myself. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

I am grateful that Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Essie Dennis and NetGalley provided me with a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.