Talking Taboo

Starred review from September 23, 2013
In the fourth volume of the I Speak for Myself series, editors Lane and Okoro (Reluctant Pilgrim) have compiled a bold collection of personal essays from young Christian women. The writers are drawn from numerous denominations (including Baptist, Catholic, Mennonite, Presbyterian, and Unitarian Universalist, and some are even agnostic) and share an even wider range of experiences negotiating the intersection of faith, gender, and identity. All of them speak candidly about historically "taboo" topics such as domestic violence, religious doubt, homosexuality, masturbation, menstruation, and sexism in the church. Their beautifully honest stories disrupt a tradition of silence. Many of the essays shed light on how painful it can be to confront patriarchy within one's own religious tradition. Although some may be frustrated by the lack of a cohesive structure or the editors' decision to omit some type of conclusion, many readers will be inspired as these women reclaim their voice. This significant book offers a glimpse of the diverse lived realities of Christian women and encourages the church to accept the full humanity of women.

November 15, 2013

The fourth in this series consists of 40 essays by women under age 40, given a platform to express their views and provide a voice for those seldom heard in a predominately patriarchal religion. Each of these women, who associate themselves across a variety of denominations, talk about the boundaries that confine them based on their gender and how they look for ways in which to rise above those restrictions. They explain how they have found ways to reconcile traditional expectations of women with their own desires to have a voice and convey their anger, sadness, resignation, and determination to be heard and accepted for who and what they are. The topics are as diverse as the women who write the pieces and cover the personal as well as the devotional. Editors Lane, a communication strategist, and Okoro, a speaker on spiritual issues, aim to "address what happens when we speak the unspeakable about our sacred experiences of faith, gender, and identity." To that end, this anthology is a success. These women's views on some subjects still conventionally considered taboo force readers to hear the writers' frustrations and their wishes to be understood, appreciated for what they can offer, and valued for their beliefs. VERDICT This is an excellent read for those with an interest in contemporary Christian studies.--Brenna Smeall, Bellevue, NE

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