Leah does not mess around. I know this about her because I've followed her on Instagram for a while now, appreciating her fashion sense and feminist Muslim vibe. She also, though, is vulnerable and honest. She owns her choices and her feelings and dares anyone to try and make her feel like she needs to take up less space. Don't you dare. Because of all that I feel like I've learned about her online, I decided to buy her book.
She doesn't pretend she's for everyone - and her book isn't either. It has a lot of cursing and her raw way of writing could turn some readers off. Each chapter is it's own story, in a way, but the lack of a cohesive narrative didn't really bother me - I feel like this book is her way of putting her thoughts and experiences out into the world. She's showing how far she's come and, in some ways, telling me that if she can make a place and a name for herself with all the mess she's had to sort through, I can find the guts to figure out what I want out of my life too. I appreciated her views on being Muslim, on how complicated being outwardly religious in this country can be, even among men that profess to be the same religion.
I really wonder if my inner life and self-worth as a woman would've been different if there had been more people like Leah to listen to in my life when I was growing up. I wish her the best of luck.
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