Everybody (Else) Is Perfect by Gabrielle Korn

{Thank you to Atria Publishing for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review}

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Book Summary:

From the former editor-in-chief of Nylon comes a provocative and intimate collection of personal and cultural essays featuring eye-opening explorations of hot button topics for modern women, including internet feminism, impossible beauty standards in social media, shifting ideals about sexuality, and much more.

Gabrielle Korn starts her professional life with all the right credentials. Prestigious college degree? Check. A loving, accepting family? Check. Instagram-worthy offices and a tight-knit group of friends? Check, check. Gabrielle’s life seems to reach the crescendo of perfect when she gets named the youngest editor-in-chief in the history of one of fashion’s most influential publications. Suddenly she’s invited to the world’s most epic parties, comped beautiful clothes and shoes from trendy designers, and asked to weigh in on everything from gay rights to lip gloss on one of the most influential digital platforms.

But behind the scenes, things are far from perfect. In fact, just a few months before landing her dream job, Gabrielle’s health and wellbeing are on the line, and her promotion to editor-in-chief becomes the ultimate test of strength. In this collection of inspirational and searing essays, Gabrielle reveals exactly what it’s truly like in the fashion world, trying to find love as a young lesbian in New York City, battling with anorexia, and trying not to lose herself in a mirage of women’s empowerment and Instagram perfection.

Through deeply personal essays, Gabrielle recounts her struggles to reconcile her long-held insecurities about her body while coming out in the era of The L Word, where swoon-worthy lesbians are portrayed as skinny, fashion-perfect, and power-hungry. She takes us with her everywhere from New York Fashion Week to the doctor’s office, revealing that the forces that try to keep women small are more pervasive than anyone wants to admit, especially in a world that’s been newly branded as woke.

From #MeToo to commercialized body positivity, Korn’s biting, darkly funny analysis turns feminist commentary on its head. Both an in-your-face take on impossible beauty standards and entrenched media ideals and an inspiring call for personal authenticity, this powerful collection is ideal for fans of Roxane Gay and Rebecca Solnit.

Publication Date:

January 26th, 2021

Genre:

LGBTQ & Feminist Theory Essay Format Non-Fiction

Purchase Your Copy:

Amazon Link | LibroFM Bookstore Link

My Review:

This was one of the books that I initially picked up almost entirely because of the amazing title. I mean, who hasn't felt this way before?! It doesn't matter what stage of life you are in...it is quite easy to fall into the trap of feeling less than and thinking everyone else has a better understanding of how to do it all. Now imaging navigating this feeling while working in women's media..in the beauty department.

Shared through essay format, Everbody (Else) is Perfect takes us through Gabrielle Korn's experience as a white, Jewish lesbian in her 20s,working in women's digital media. From imposter syndrome to body dysmorphia to the mixed messages society sends us daily, this was just such a timely and important read. Her perspective was refreshing, and the insider look at the beauty and fashion media empire was fascinating and illuminating. The underbelly of the media that touts self-love also shares a whole other level of hypocrisy and Korn showed up.

While the focus on the beauty and fashion industry was a large part of these essays, Korn also shared candidly about many other important topics, including sexuality, feminism, mental health, racism, eating disorders/body dysmorphia and misogyny. Like many essay collections, some of them were 5-star reads for me while others were not quite as impactful but overall this was a very solid read that had the perfect mix of being totally readable while also being a powerful call for change.

Thank you to Atria Books for my advanced copy.

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