Review: Underneath We Are

Underneath We Are by Amy D. Hermann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

""UNDERNEATH, WE ARE... young, fat, tall, we are trans, skinny, disabled, we are mothers, we are short, scarred and old. We are the many labels that society has created for us. But what if I told you that underneath, underneath it all, I AM... determined, tenacious, strong, capable, loud, resilient... would you see me differently?"

The Underneath I Am/Underneath We Are project has been ongoing for several years and I've loved following the evolution of the project on Instagram. This beautiful book, filled with strong and beautiful women, is the culmination of of Amy Hermann's 2016 Kickstarter campaign and ongoing GoFundMe page, gathering funds to travel the world and photograph diverse women. With the goal of normalizing what is... normal, Amy has photographed all kinds of women, clothed as much or as little as they desire, and has collected their stories to share. Some are proud, some poignant, some brave, and all are inspiring of hope, that we, as women are so much more than our appearance or our bodies.

"Instead of focusing on how I could change the world, I was purely focused on changing myself...(but now) I am Colleen, and I am changing the world." - Colleen, aspiring eating disorder therapist

"There was an avoidance to name me as I was, to acknowledge me as on par with others. I lived in that world, the world of avoiding, of feeling unworthy because I couldn't look like other people. But... I'm challenging that now. I wear the clothes I want." - Chantal, Ph.D. student

"I was fortunate enough to have been surrounded by open-minded humans. So when coming out to them as gender-fluid, much to my surprise, not a single person batted an eyelid. This is why I feel it is important to share my story with people who may be facing internal battles." - Wallis, musician, poet

"One of my biggest challenges was realizing I shouldn't value myself by how other people see me." -Bianca, Singer

"Constantly bombarded with a single "type" of woman that is considered acceptable- thin, young, white, cishet, able-bodied- you'd be forgiven for thinking anything that sits outside of this Eurocentric standard of beauty, be deemed unacceptable, ugly, unhealthy... I am determined to change this." - Amy, artist, photographer

Dear Amy, thank you for this beautiful book. Every photo, every story, adds to our collective strength.

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