Women Don't Owe You Pretty (Review)

I had seen this book Women Don't ow You Pretty, on my Instagram feed. The cover alone immediately captured my attention. I had been pondering on purchasing it on Amazon but decided against it because it wouldn't arrive on time for my journey back to Brighton. It was the day before I set out that I wandered into Waterstones with a friend when I came across this book, the last one. For me, that was a sign that I was destined to read this book! I had already followed the author Florence Given and immediately knew this was a pretty amazing woman! I started the book on the train, and I was immediately hooked! 

The book contains all original artwork. and it is incredible, such an esthetically pleasing book. I loved each and every one of the illustrations; they are so liberating to look at!

Through reading this book I have learned a lot about my self and having finished the book I have been doing some much-needed self-reflection. This book is so empowering as it unpacks feminism and talks about personal growth. Amongst many things, this book discusses rape culture and that ‘if it’s not a “fuck yes”, it’s a no’ the writer discusses boundaries and unpacks rape culture and setting boundaries with sex and looking out for red flags.

Given encourages us to own your shit and let people get on with theirs. I liked that she talked about how you owe absolutely fuck all to anyone and that no one owes you anything too. She emphasizes the importance of doing things for yourself. That we don’t need to conform to certain expectations but that it is also okay if we want to. It’s important that you do things for you. 

There are some really powerful chapters in this book, I think that every woman should read this. I feel so enriched and refreshed by reading this. Like my eyes have been opened a little and that I don’t feel alone about certain things and that I’m not the only person experiencing the things that I have. 

This book allowed me to recognise my own internalised homophobia as a queer person. Chapter ten addresses being queer and owning of the self. I felt myself relating to parts about feeling as though I don’t look ‘gay’ or that I’m not like the queer people I’ve met or seen. But this chapter helped me see that my personality and appearance is a separate thing to my sexuality and that they aren’t all bound together as one. It allowed me to realise that thinking that I’m not like other queer people is in itself pushing a stereotype onto others. This book also goes on to talk about accountability and to check yourself, accepting when you’re wrong and instead of making excuses you should accept what you’ve done, apologise and use this wrong as an opportunity for self-growth.

Given's book really opened my eyes, made me realise my own privilege amongst other things. The way she writes made me feel like I was having a conversation with her, the way she tells her own personal anecdotes really made me reflect on my own experiences. The book was very accessible and easy to read, as well as incredibly visually pleasing. If you're considering reading this book, even if you are not, I highly recommend that you do. I enjoyed reading this book, it allowed me to see things differently and also learn more about myself as well as perhaps looking at other things and people differently.