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I’ve had Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West on my TBR for too long, but it’s another example of books that find you when you need them to find you. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Existing as a fat woman is a political act. This idea is at the crux of Lindy’s memoir. Several essays reveal facets of this experience: from growing up without any fat female role models to struggling with internalized fatphobia, to attempting to pass in a straight-size oriented world. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I did so much highlighting — West was giving voice to thoughts I’ve had about my body and the world that I’ve struggled to articulate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I cried reading the chapter about her interview with the troll that pretended to be her father, and felt the resonance of the chapter on Twitter’s harassment policy given the current changes it is undergoing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is a short, funny, engaging read and although it was published in 2016, it’s conversations about women’s bodies, abortion rights, rape culture, comedy, and social media remain incredibly relevant today. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ CW: cancer, death of a parent, abortion, rape, verbal abuse ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ID: I’m holding up a hardback copy of Shrill with one hand. via Instagram https://instagr.am/p/Ckx9In7L4dU/