A Collection of Essays on Women and BodiesOne hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of this anthology benefit publishing services and program grants for underrepresented women authors.“For a woman, writing publicly about her body is an act of courage in a society that commodifies, objectifies, and violates her body throughout her life—until it is ignored and rendered invisible in her elder years. Writing about her body is an act of self-respect, and one of the most radical things a woman can do is respect her body. …One of the most radical things a human can do is view their body as more than a collection of functions in service to their ego, to see it as a vessel for their soul—our shapeless, ethereal, ever-evolving soul. The soul doesn’t care if we win or lose in the traditional sense, it only cares that we live a life that is true to us. …The essays in this anthology shatter generations of shame carried among women by tenderly and triumphantly speaking to the unique yet shared experience of being a soul in the form of a female body. From eating disorders and injuries to childbirth and menstruation, these stories are a homecoming.”—Rachel Allyn, Ph.D., licensed psychologist and author of “The Pleasure Is all Yours”“Dear Body” includes the following essays from these authors:Introduction by Rachel Allyn, Ph.D.Absence and Ovaries by Chris OlsenAgency by Katrina DeWitAnnual Performance Review for My Hips by Suzanne O’BrienBantam Weights by Carolyn AlessioThe Bathing Suit by Heidi SchneiderBirthday Letter to My Body by Lucinda CummingsBuilt Like a Goddess by Lezlie Williams MitchellCloset Talk by Jody Vallee SmithComing Home by Olivia BeatonDance by Pat RippeyFat Is a Descriptive Word by Samantha PucGo Your Own Way by Marijean OldhamI’m Here, I’m Here by Wendy AltschulerIn My Skin by Shawntan HowellI Was Meant to Be by Gracie AzuaLessons on Love and Acceptance by Jaimee Alonso-LundheimThe Magic of Being Mixed by Melody JoyMove by Sally VardamanMy Body Is My Temple by Autumn KepleyOutstretched by Amy JorqueraReclaiming the Temple by Sarah TillemontSh a tt er d by Katharine MalagaSlivers of Pleasure by Krista HansonSomeday, Somewhere by Ann KempkeSomewhere Between by Karisa ConnorA Strong and Capable Vessel by Rachael PalmThere Is No Separation, Divorce or Shared Custody by Susan JustinianoThree of a Kind by Layla BryndziaWasted Time by Ann V. KlotzWhat My 22-Year-Old Self Didn’t Know by D.C. DubsCover art: Kprecia AmbersAbout Publish Her GrantsMany women face obstacles in publishing today. Even more so if she is a woman of color, a woman with a disability, a member of the LGBTQ+ community or any combination of these. Publish Her is on a mission to disrupt the status quo and remove barriers for underrepresented authors. We do so, in part, by providing access to publishing services and programs through grants. To learn more, visit www.publishherpress.com.About Publish HerPublish Her is a female-founded independent publisher dedicated to educating authors and elevating the words, writing and stories of women. We are passionate about amplifying the voices of women of color, women with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We aim to make publishing an attainable, exciting and collaborative process for all.