While working my shift at a coffee shop, Idil Ahmed, an author who publishes books on spirituality, manifestation, and self-love, made unsolicited comments about my appearance. She told me I had “dark and terrible energy,” said I had “resting bitch face,” pointed out my skin and under-eye circles, called them ugly, and told me to “fix” them. As I tried to walk away, she added a comment about my weight.
I did not know her or her work prior to this interaction. Experiencing this level of appearance-based cruelty from someone who profits off messaging about healing, compassion, and self-worth was jarring.
If this is how she treats service workers in real life, her writing on self-love reads less like wisdom and more like branding.