Unashamed

Musings of a Fat, Black Muslim

By: Leah Vernon

Narrated by: Sisi Aisha Johnson

A Muslim woman’s searingly honest memoir of her journey toward self-acceptance as she comes to see her body as a symbol of rebellion and hope—and chooses to live her life unapologetically

Ever since she was little, Leah Vernon was told what to believe and how to act. There wasn’t any room for imperfection. ‘Good’ Muslim girls listened more than they spoke. They didn’t have a missing father or a mother with a mental disability. They didn’t have fat bodies or grow up wishing they could be like the white characters they saw on TV. They didn’t have husbands who abused and cheated on them. They certainly didn’t have secret abortions. In Unashamed, Vernon takes to task the myth of the perfect Muslim woman with frank dispatches on her love-hate relationship with her hijab and her faith, race, weight, mental health, domestic violence, sexuality, the millennial world of dating, and the process of finding her voice.

She opens up about her tumultuous adolescence living at the poverty line with her fiercely loving but troubled mother, her absent dad, her siblings, and the violent dissolution of her 10-year marriage. Tired of the constant policing of her clothing in the name of Islam and Western beauty standards, Vernon reflects on her experiences with hustling paycheck to paycheck, body-shaming, and redefining what it means to be a “good” Muslim.

Irreverent, youthful, and funny, Unashamed gives anyone who is marginalized permission to live unapologetic, confident lives.


“Vernon’s determined advocacy for body positivity as a feminist and mental health issue, and her painful journey to self-acceptance, are moving and powerful, forcing readers to examine their own preconceptions about beauty standards and health.” —Booklist

Critic reviews

“Narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson has a sassy, confident voice. She’s a great choice to present model and writer Leah Vernon’s memoir of body positivity.”
—AudioFile Magazine

“Vernon’s determined advocacy for body positivity as a feminist and mental health issue, and her painful journey to self-acceptance, are moving and powerful, forcing readers to examine their own preconceptions about beauty standards and health.”
—Booklist

“This candid memoir will be of interest for those who have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual violence, and who are seeking forceful encouragement toward self-empowerment and self-expression.”
—Library Journal

“Vernon’s narration reads like an intimate heart-to-heart chat with a friend . . . Irreverent, vulnerable, and unapologetic in every sense.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Readers will head straight to her Instagram if they aren’t established fans. Tough topics like mental illness, domestic violence, and abortion are covered unflinchingly, with a frankness that will appeal to older teens.”
—School Library Journal

“Deeply powerful in its vulnerability, Unashamed invites us into the pain, beauty, and redemption that have shaped Leah Vernon. We are transformed through the act of witnessing . . . . One of the most generous memoirs I’ve ever read.”
—Virgie Tovar, author of You Have the Right to Remain Fat

“I love the fierce, unflinching honesty and integrity in Unashamed . . . . I laughed and cried and read this book in awe of Leah Vernon’s brave, bold, and beautiful voice.”
—Randa Abdel-Fattah, author of The Lines We Cross and Does My Head Look Big in This?

“Unashamed is everything Leah Vernon embodies on a daily basis: authenticity, resiliency, and, most of all . . . unquestionable courage . . . . I’m so thankful for Leah: the fantastically powerful force behind this literary triumph.”
—Jes Baker, author of Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls and Landwhale

An impactful memoir

Truthfully I didn’t know who Leah Vernon was before this, but I’m glad I took a chance and decided to find out. This was such a beautiful body of work that encompassed the joys and many downs of her identities and intersectionality. I love that despite recounting painful stories, she still found a way to bring humour and positivity. I’m very happy that she decided to share her story with the world.

Accepting You

This story should help those become free from social norms and give them permission to become whole just where the are. enjoyable read. Freeing.

Raw, honest, and beautiful

Vernon writes with a brutal honesty I've rarely found in memoirs. The title fits perfectly. She is reflective, but maintains a voice that is authentic to who she was and how she felt at each stage she describes. I've read many memoirs, but I've never read a story quite like hers. She courageously lets the reader into some intimate and vulnerable points in her life, articulating with grace, confidence, and strength.

Unashamed made me laugh, cry, wax nostalgic, get angry, and feel motivated. I highly recommend!

Honest and Brave

How Refreshing. The author's unapologetic and honest account about growing up Black, Muslim, and Plus-sized in America. It was entertaining, humorous, and poignant all in one. I really appreciated the overall message of triumph and self-acceptance. Finally, a novel that breaks the monochromatic stereotype about Muslim Women.

You Rock!

I did not know who you were. I just did a Google search of “autobiographies written by black women.” Your book were on a couple of lists. I read up on it, then I decided to purchase. Your story is my story in regards of having a complicated relationship with our mothers. Unfortunately, I never really had the chance to rectifying my relationship with my mother because she died the same year I became a mother. I struggle with it, even now as I am writing this I am crying.

You are such a beautiful person. Thank you for sharing your story with the world. Thank you for being a light within a culture that that may have been a mystery to outsiders. I have a new found respect for Muslim women. ❤️