Learning to accept your body can be isolating if those around you are not on the same page. You may have family members who obsessively talk about their latest diet, coworkers who go on and on about how much “bad” food they ate last weekend, or friends who constantly put themselves down and expect you to join in on the self-deprecation.
When you feel like you have no one to share your self-acceptance journey with, memoirs are a great resource to turn to. By learning about others’ lived experiences, you realize you’re not alone in your struggle. Some of these authors may have overcome body shame, disordered eating, or size discrimination. Others may still be figuring it out just like you are. Either way, I hope these personal accounts can educate, inspire, and comfort you while you are making peace with your relationship to food and your body.
As a warning, some of these books include depictions of disordered eating and assault. Feel free to contact me for help in determining which triggering passages you may want to avoid.
Best-selling author Roxane Gay is well-known for her raw prose and insightful commentary. Hunger is no exception. Gay takes you through the life-long effects of a horrific traumatic childhood event, showing you her difficulties navigating the world as a large woman and learning to accept herself on the journey.
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