In Praise of Women's Bodies

By: Gloria Steinem

Narrated by: Marianne Fraulo

"It's a truism, for instance, that a few clothes are more shocking than none. But for women especially, bras, panties, bathing suits, and other stereotypical gear are visual reminders of a commercial, idealized feminine image that our real and diverse female bodies can't possibly fit. Without those visual references, however, each individual woman's body can be accepted on its own terms. We stop being comparatives. We begin to be unique."

After spending a few days at a spa in the company of 90 or so women, Gloria Steinem wrote In Praise of Women's Bodies, a short but powerful essay that's part ode and part treatise and fully in awe of the female form, in all its unique variety. In Praise of Women's Bodies was originally published in Ms., April 1982.

©2016 Gloria Steinem (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

older though still so relevent

this is older. i believe it said 80s. there is still so much progress to be made. short and good.

If only I had this book as a young girl.

I wish this book had been available for me as a teenager. I would have read it every year of my life and made opportunities to spend more time with women.

Do it

it's the shortest book I've listened to on here but still very much appreciated. Give it a shot.

4/5 Estrellas

But many of women’s body scars have a very different context, and thus an emotional power all their own. Stretch marks and Cesarean incisions from giving birth are very different from accident, war, and fight scars. They evoke courage without violence, strength without cruelty, and even so, they’re far more likely to be worn with diffidence than bragging. That gives them a moving, bittersweet power, like seeing a room where a very emotional event in our lives once took place.

Este audiolibro es corto, pero se queda contigo mucho tiempo después de haberlo acabado <3
Gloria Steinem nos trae un ensayo corto pero directo acerca de la aceptación del cuerpo femenino en una sociedad que nos enseña continuamente a ocultarlo. Irónico en verdad que el patriarcado nos haga sentir avergonzadas de cicatrices que significan vida y fortaleza como las estrías y las marcas de cesárea, cuando las historias detrás de ellas están tan llenas de orgullo y amor.

En un mundo que continuamente busca sexualizar nuestro género, amar y celebrar nuestros cuerpos tal y como son parece un signo de rebeldía.

4/5 estrellas

A lovely short read on self acceptance

While short, this essay is incredibly powerful and still very much relevant today.
If you typically read feminist literature it isn’t likely to teach you anything new, but I found it to be a comforting and inspiring shallow dive in to how it feels to exist in a female body and how we may begin to enjoy it more through female connection.