Body Outlaws: Rewriting the Rules of Beauty and Body Image (Live Girls) Paperback – January 1, 2004

I had to bug this for a class. This was the only book I actually did the readings for because it was phenomenal. Wish I would have found it when I was struggling with body image in high school.

This is an excellent anthology for anyone interested in body image. It features a diverse selection of contributors writing about different image challenges. Hair texture and style, body weight, nose size, skin color, height and other issues are discussed in the pieces. The stories are honest and interesting, with many of the writers injected some humor and wit along the way. The book also is very well edited.

This book was recommended by a psychiatrist to help me with my poor self image, due in large part to my obesity. I just don't get it. The stories did not inspire me at all, and I couldn't even finish the book. Maybe I'm the wrong audience for this book, because I'm not a feminist per se nor a lesbian.

To read about the different body image struggles that other women go through was eye opening. Hearing about body image issues that I would never have thought to have myself helped me realize that there's no one unitary idea of beauty. Therefore I might as well define it for myself and run with it.

Bought this with Deadly Persuasion for a HS report. It had the information I needed. Along the way, it was an eye opener.

I had to read this for my Intro to Women's Studies class and it's pretty good. The stories/essays come from a good mix of individuals from various classes, backgrounds, etc. who are talking about their struggles with self-esteem, body issues, etc... Still not a lot of different ethnicities and the ones that are there seem a little forced to fit the stereotype of what that race goes through i.e African-American talking about her issues with having a big butt, or hair issues. There are other things we go through as well!!Also, the book as a whole gives a false sense of hope for it's like here's my story, how I overcame it, and life is now magically great. Even the professor commented on this aspect of the anthology and we disscussed how it should be a little more realistic on presenting the idea that these individuals magically "discover" who they are and now have claimed their place in the world. We know better. It's decent, but it is not profound enough to make me want to read it had it not been a class requirement and I'm an english lit major by the way so I love to read!

Really enjoyed most of these essays. Some more than others.

I've been pretty happy with this book. It's a little too edgy for my liking-- almost like it's trying too hard to get people who are on the fringes of society. I have slowly been reading through most of the essays, and as I sit here right now the two that stand out as stellar in my mind are:-Kate Dillon's piece on life before and after becoming a plus-size model, and-a thoughtful essay by a woman who worked for awhile as a stripper and actually felt empowered and liberated by it, as opposed to objectified as we might thinkOverall, I recommend this book but think it would've been richer if some of the pieces had been left out.