Friday, November 29, 2019

You Do You: Figuring Out Your Body, Dating, and Sexuality by Sarah Mirk - ESSENTIAL

You Do You: Figuring Out Your Body, Dating, and Sexuality by Sarah Mirk, 120 pages. NON-FICTION. $38. Twenty-First Century Books (Lerner Publishing Group), 2020. $38 (library binding).

Language: PG (2 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The changes that our bodies go through are uncontrollable, and there are more options and opinions about those changes and sexuality today than has been socially acceptable before. In this book, Mirk discusses the topics that have been stigmatized to the point that those going through changes (or are years past it) are afraid to even ask questions like “what is normal for my body?” and “how much intimacy do I have to give in a relationship?” However, Mirk tells her readers that their first questions need to be “what are my values?” and “what am I comfortable with?”

Years past puberty myself, I still felt empowered by the knowledge and encouragement Mirk gives readers. Mirk does a good job of giving all the facts without opinion or judgement, simply giving readers the knowledge they need to make choices that are best for them. That being said, this book has a very liberal outlook that is not pushed but is definitely in the background -- and that’s a good thing. A conservative book about sexuality would leave readers, especially those still struggling with changes, with more questions. Mirk’s approach feels like a safe place to have questions and learn.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

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