Those stories, in conversation with but also isolated from the particularly more obvious implications around attractiveness and self-esteem, show how much extra mental strain it takes to live in a world that was not designed for you in one or many ways. I finished the audiobook in a day and enjoyed the performance as the book was read by Gay herself. It was thought provoking and frustrating and comforting at different times and in different ways and it does manage to hold up well five years after publication. It feels as relevant and true as ever.These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Why doesn't Roxane Gay think of her body as a part of her? Written by people who wish to remain anonymous Roxane doesn't wish to think of her body as a part of her, because it is so heavily affected by the people around her and their actions. She has no control over it - she had no control over it as she was raped by several people when she was twelve. Therefore, she should not be something that other people can choose to do with as they want. She doesn't think her body represents her either, which is another reason she doesn't want it to be a part of who she is. The person she is is found on her inside. Roxane's weight gain was triggered by a rape she went through and then suppressed. It lead to her becoming sad, depressed and finding comfort in food.
