Muriel
De Gennaro

‘This book isn’t just for those who feel represented by the words they’ll read; it’s also for those who want to understand, for those who’ve never experienced certain things but are keen to hear about them. For those who want to try looking at others – everyone else – with fresh eyes.’ What does it mean to talk about bodies, in an age when self-image is ever-present? In which we see our own face in close-up during every video call, and not just in the morning in front of the bathroom mirror? In which we worry about our physical appearance no longer just on the beach, but every day on social media? In which we are bombarded with messages of body positivity to the point where we start to think that perhaps, if we don’t like ourselves, it’s because we aren’t trying hard enough? In these pages, Muriel seeks to restore clarity and balance to a debate all too often approached with judgement and aggression. She does so by sharing her personal story, beginning with a childhood marked by comments about her weight, diets, early bereavements and a gradual development of body dysmorphia fuelled by the words of adults. Using clear, welcoming language that is open to others, she invites us to reclaim our words; she encourages us to experience our bodies as safe, useful and desirable spaces, to view differences as unique qualities, and also to feel free to not feel good about ourselves at times. We’ll have the opportunity to hear from Serena Neri, a psychologist; by Dirty Martini, a burlesque performer; Edoardo Mocini, a doctor specialising in nutritional science; Lorenzo Seghezzi, a fashion designer; and Riccardo Onorato, a male body positivity activist. With them, the horizons of the discourse on the body will broaden, becoming a space where each of us can learn to view ourselves and others with a freer and more empathetic perspective.