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Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Memoir & Autobiography (2021)From the founder and activist behind one of the largest movements of the twenty-first century, the me too movement, Tarana Burke debuts a powerful memoir about her own journey to saying those two simple yet infinitely powerful words and how she brought empathy back to an entire generation'Searing. Powerful. Needed.' Oprah'I will never stop thinking about this book.' Glennon DoyleTarana didn't always have the courage to say me too. As a child, she reeled from her sexual assault, believing she was responsible. Unable to confess what she thought of as her own sins for fear of shattering her family, her soul split in two. One side was the bright, intellectually curious third generation Bronxite steeped in Black literature and power, and the other was the bad, shame ridden girl who thought of herself as a vile rule breaker, not of a victim. She tucked one away, hidden behind a wall of pain and anger, which seemed to work... until it didn't. Tarana fought to reunite her fractured soul, through organizing, pursuing justice, and finding community. In her debut memoir she shares her extensive work supporting and empowering Black and brown girls, and the devastating realisation that to truly help these girls she needed to help that scared, ashamed child still in her soul. Tarana has found that we can only offer empathy to others if we first offer it to ourselves. Unbound is the story of an inimitable woman's inner strength and perseverance, all in pursuit of bringing healing to her community and the world around her, but it is also a story of possibility, of empathy, of power, and of the leader we all have inside ourselves. In sharing her path toward healing and saying me too, Tarana reaches out a hand to help us all on our own journeys.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2021
488 people are currently reading
30426 people want to read
About the author
Tarana Burke
7 books351 followersTarana Burke is an American activist from The Bronx, New York who started the Me Too movement. In 2006, Burke began using metoo to help other women with similar experiences to stand up for themselves.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,497 reviews
January 19, 2022
What a beautiful book! What a powerful book! I spend a lot of time thinking about the #metoo movement and the impact it's had on society. I also think about the fact that a lot of people are unaware the movement was originally started by Tarana Burke to assist Black girls, women, and femmes in sharing their experiences in empathy. This movement has gotten so much wide attention via social media and Hollywood, but I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to listen to the voice behind it.
This book should be read by everyone, but also isn't for the faint of heart. It's clear that this book was a point of healing for Burke and she details her own horrific experiences of being sexually assaulted and raped. To be quite honest, there were parts of her story that were particularly triggering for me and reminded me of my own experiences. But it reminded me of how the experiences of Black women, girls, and femmes can be so vastly different from others. The likelihood of anyone believing, let alone caring is few by far for a lot of us. Burke makes it clear that while she is happy that so many woman have found safety and empathy in sharing their stories via the movement, she is still actively aware that very few Black women have come forward detailing their experiences.
A key selling point for me in terms of memoirs is how the voice of the author shines through. Burke made this book accessible and conversational. I felt safe with her even when she was describing situations that brought flash backs to me. It was the feeling of empathy that seeped through every page. And even in this, Burke was able to acknowledge her own failings in regard to a young woman named Heaven and her own child. As the parent of a little Black girl, I struggle with some of the same feelings. I want to protect my child from some of the horrors that come with being a Black girl, women, or femme.
I honestly don't believe that there is anything that I can say about this book that will do it justice. The growth that Burke exhibits in this book and the passion she exudes for the movement is unmatched. I couldn't even begin to imagine the courage that it took to even sit down and tell this story and put such a deep and dark part of one's life on display for the world to see. I'm hoping that more people pick this book up and really find comfort and understanding in why the #metoo movement has been so important to Burke and to so many other Black women, girls, and femmes.
This book should be read by everyone, but also isn't for the faint of heart. It's clear that this book was a point of healing for Burke and she details her own horrific experiences of being sexually assaulted and raped. To be quite honest, there were parts of her story that were particularly triggering for me and reminded me of my own experiences. But it reminded me of how the experiences of Black women, girls, and femmes can be so vastly different from others. The likelihood of anyone believing, let alone caring is few by far for a lot of us. Burke makes it clear that while she is happy that so many woman have found safety and empathy in sharing their stories via the movement, she is still actively aware that very few Black women have come forward detailing their experiences.
A key selling point for me in terms of memoirs is how the voice of the author shines through. Burke made this book accessible and conversational. I felt safe with her even when she was describing situations that brought flash backs to me. It was the feeling of empathy that seeped through every page. And even in this, Burke was able to acknowledge her own failings in regard to a young woman named Heaven and her own child. As the parent of a little Black girl, I struggle with some of the same feelings. I want to protect my child from some of the horrors that come with being a Black girl, women, or femme.
I honestly don't believe that there is anything that I can say about this book that will do it justice. The growth that Burke exhibits in this book and the passion she exudes for the movement is unmatched. I couldn't even begin to imagine the courage that it took to even sit down and tell this story and put such a deep and dark part of one's life on display for the world to see. I'm hoping that more people pick this book up and really find comfort and understanding in why the #metoo movement has been so important to Burke and to so many other Black women, girls, and femmes.
September 24, 2021
#READTHISSPINE ✨
I can't describe the way I devoured this book last week. UNBOUND by Tarana Burke was one of my anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. I appreciate Tarana's vulnerability and transparency in sharing her story with the world. She goes beyond the #MeToo movement and shines the light on the work she's being doing years before the the movement became a hashtag. I love that she goes deep into her life experiences which ultimately shows why she works tirelessly for Black and brown girls and survivors of sexual assault. She tells her story unapologetically and it uplift any reader.
I have so much admiration for people who are courageous enough to step out on faith to reveal their brokenness in efforts to heal and help others. This revelation lets folks know they are not alone and also shows that restoration and redemption are possible. I highly recommend this book!! It will definitely be on my favorites list this year!
I can't describe the way I devoured this book last week. UNBOUND by Tarana Burke was one of my anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. I appreciate Tarana's vulnerability and transparency in sharing her story with the world. She goes beyond the #MeToo movement and shines the light on the work she's being doing years before the the movement became a hashtag. I love that she goes deep into her life experiences which ultimately shows why she works tirelessly for Black and brown girls and survivors of sexual assault. She tells her story unapologetically and it uplift any reader.
I have so much admiration for people who are courageous enough to step out on faith to reveal their brokenness in efforts to heal and help others. This revelation lets folks know they are not alone and also shows that restoration and redemption are possible. I highly recommend this book!! It will definitely be on my favorites list this year!
April 24, 2022
"I wrote out the story of Heaven. I wrote about how carrying my own shame had kept me from stepping out into the world to be who I was meant to be. And then I wrote about the celebrities who I knew the girls looked up to and whose stories of survival inspired me over the years, like Mary J. Blige, Fantasia, Queen Latifah, Gabrielle Union, Oprah, and of course, Maya Angelou. I wrote down a list of words that I wished someone had explained to me when I was their age. I defined things like grooming, rape, incest, disclosure, and shame. When I looked up it was dark outside. I had been writing—longhand—for hours. I felt good about what I had put down on paper, but it still felt incomplete. Parts of my own experience were embedded in what I was creating, but I knew I needed to share my actual story, something I never ever did. I didn’t even know where to start. I put down my notepad and sat on the edge of my mattress with my legs folded over one another and my back curved in a deep C. I hung my head and said a quiet prayer, asking God to intervene and lend me support. And then I did the unthinkable. I remembered. All of it. On purpose."
"The journey that began that Sunday morning in the fall of 2017 is its own story—one you’ve likely heard, watched, or read about again and again. The story I’m going to tell is about how we got to those two simple yet infinitely powerful words: me too. The story of how empathy for others—without which the work of ‘me too’ doesn’t exist—starts with empathy for that dark place of shame where we keep our stories, and where I kept mine."
Author Burke has a powerful story to tell. Historically, it is an important one because of her connection to the “Me Too Movement.” But, as you have read above, this book is a collection of her memories of a very difficult life. There are plenty of women for whom this would have been an unbearable burden.
"What motivated me to continue were the little Black and Brown girls who trusted us with their secrets, their pain, their shame, their worries, their anger, their fears, and their hopes. It didn’t take resources to introduce the possibility of healing into their lives. It didn’t take wide-ranging support to stand up for them and others like them. It took vision. It took intention. It took tenacity. It took courage. And it took empathy."
At various points in her life’s trajectory, she comes up against her choices:
"I always wonder why they knew I wouldn’t tell. What was it about me? What did they know? Did they see through my “good girl” charade? I have filled in the blanks with my own insecurities and post-traumatic ideations for years, but I can’t say for sure. As good as I wanted to be, it was evident—in my small child’s mind, at least—that I wasn’t innocent in practice. I started to settle into a new reality of who I really was—not the sweet, smart girl that my mom and family saw me as, but as this gross, fast, ugly girl with dark secrets. Before I reached puberty, I learned two things: how to smile and perform the role of good girl and how to hide the nasty, dirty, fast girl I thought I really was."
This is a recounting of personal experience that isn’t easy to read. It elicits much admiration and raises many important questions including: How can we help those who have been abused to regain a healthy life? Why has so little changed over the past decades? What support does the “Black Community” need to stop protecting abusers? Will there ever be a time when girls and young women won’t be shamed into hiding these tragic experiences?
Author Burke has provided plenty of material for discussion.
3.5*
"The journey that began that Sunday morning in the fall of 2017 is its own story—one you’ve likely heard, watched, or read about again and again. The story I’m going to tell is about how we got to those two simple yet infinitely powerful words: me too. The story of how empathy for others—without which the work of ‘me too’ doesn’t exist—starts with empathy for that dark place of shame where we keep our stories, and where I kept mine."
Author Burke has a powerful story to tell. Historically, it is an important one because of her connection to the “Me Too Movement.” But, as you have read above, this book is a collection of her memories of a very difficult life. There are plenty of women for whom this would have been an unbearable burden.
"What motivated me to continue were the little Black and Brown girls who trusted us with their secrets, their pain, their shame, their worries, their anger, their fears, and their hopes. It didn’t take resources to introduce the possibility of healing into their lives. It didn’t take wide-ranging support to stand up for them and others like them. It took vision. It took intention. It took tenacity. It took courage. And it took empathy."
At various points in her life’s trajectory, she comes up against her choices:
"I always wonder why they knew I wouldn’t tell. What was it about me? What did they know? Did they see through my “good girl” charade? I have filled in the blanks with my own insecurities and post-traumatic ideations for years, but I can’t say for sure. As good as I wanted to be, it was evident—in my small child’s mind, at least—that I wasn’t innocent in practice. I started to settle into a new reality of who I really was—not the sweet, smart girl that my mom and family saw me as, but as this gross, fast, ugly girl with dark secrets. Before I reached puberty, I learned two things: how to smile and perform the role of good girl and how to hide the nasty, dirty, fast girl I thought I really was."
This is a recounting of personal experience that isn’t easy to read. It elicits much admiration and raises many important questions including: How can we help those who have been abused to regain a healthy life? Why has so little changed over the past decades? What support does the “Black Community” need to stop protecting abusers? Will there ever be a time when girls and young women won’t be shamed into hiding these tragic experiences?
Author Burke has provided plenty of material for discussion.
3.5*
February 13, 2022
The author survived harrowing experiences and ended up doing what we all wish we could, turning it around and making it better for women coming behind her.
It was definitely a difficult read, but a very important one. Tarana Burke's work is important and her story is important. May we all turn out to help women without having to endure the heart ache to do so.
When Tarana Burke's "Me Too" movement was thrust into the spotlight she was ready. She had been preparing for years of helping women and writing about the prevalence of sexual impropriety and violence against women.
It is not a happy ending as there is still so much work to do. There is so little justice in this book, but there is so much hope.
It was definitely a difficult read, but a very important one. Tarana Burke's work is important and her story is important. May we all turn out to help women without having to endure the heart ache to do so.
When Tarana Burke's "Me Too" movement was thrust into the spotlight she was ready. She had been preparing for years of helping women and writing about the prevalence of sexual impropriety and violence against women.
It is not a happy ending as there is still so much work to do. There is so little justice in this book, but there is so much hope.
November 21, 2021
Every human being needs to read this. Immediately.
October 24, 2021
I was shook reading Tarana Burke’s memoir, UNBOUND: My Story of Liberation and the Me Too Movement!
I’ve always been a believer that there is healing in walking and living your truths. That this healing magnifies when you accept your calling to use your own testimony to help others.
In UNBOUND is a page-turner that you need to read and its author is one you should know. This is her story and in it she is brave, vulnerable, courageous and honest. She opens the door for readers to know her and her full story and the pathway that led her to becoming the founder and activist behind the wildly popular ‘ME TOO’ movement.”
It is a story that will break your heart but open your eyes to the very abuses Black women and girls continue to face and bury down in hopes of finding peace and healing. Sadly, it is a story we have either encountered first hand or know someone who’s lived through similarly.
In the chapter titled, “me too”, she begins: In the winter after I turned seven years old, while playing outside with friends, one of the “big boys” in my small, close-knit neighborhood took me by the hand, walked me to a dark, secluded corner in our adjourned apartment buildings, and raped me.” At SEVEN YEARS OLD, she is forced to make the decision on her own to hold onto this secret because she is too young to understand that nothing that happened that day was her fault. We begin to see how this decision affects her and every relationship following including the ones she has to her mother, father-figure Mr. Wes, family members, friends, boys and later men.
I applaud the author for her willingness to tell the story. For creating a space for Black and brown women, especially where we can feel safe to share our own stories. For doing the work to heal others. For empowering through empathy. Excellent read!
I’ve always been a believer that there is healing in walking and living your truths. That this healing magnifies when you accept your calling to use your own testimony to help others.
In UNBOUND is a page-turner that you need to read and its author is one you should know. This is her story and in it she is brave, vulnerable, courageous and honest. She opens the door for readers to know her and her full story and the pathway that led her to becoming the founder and activist behind the wildly popular ‘ME TOO’ movement.”
It is a story that will break your heart but open your eyes to the very abuses Black women and girls continue to face and bury down in hopes of finding peace and healing. Sadly, it is a story we have either encountered first hand or know someone who’s lived through similarly.
In the chapter titled, “me too”, she begins: In the winter after I turned seven years old, while playing outside with friends, one of the “big boys” in my small, close-knit neighborhood took me by the hand, walked me to a dark, secluded corner in our adjourned apartment buildings, and raped me.” At SEVEN YEARS OLD, she is forced to make the decision on her own to hold onto this secret because she is too young to understand that nothing that happened that day was her fault. We begin to see how this decision affects her and every relationship following including the ones she has to her mother, father-figure Mr. Wes, family members, friends, boys and later men.
I applaud the author for her willingness to tell the story. For creating a space for Black and brown women, especially where we can feel safe to share our own stories. For doing the work to heal others. For empowering through empathy. Excellent read!
August 13, 2021
*I won an AR copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway*
First, I would like to say that I really hope there are more copy edits to be done on this manuscript as there were many mistakes that made sections of the book partially unreadable. This almost made me stop reading altogether. If I was Tarana Burke I would be pretty mad that my book was allowed out, even as an Advanced Reading copy, with the kind of errors left behind by her editors.
After finishing this book I am so glad that Burke had the courage to write this memoir. It's clear that this book is a powerful continuation of her work, one that will further her goal of promoting empathy and a greater community for survivors of sexual assault. Her writing shines in her recollections of specific interactions with the important people in her life. This is where you feel her warmth and strength propelling you through her story.
There were other moments where it felt like the writing flagged. It almost seemed like it came from another writer because it lost its warmth and humanity and became more clinical. I don't know if it was because these sections were more about relaying facts and information? It could have been from Burke's experience as a journalist, where writers are often are taught to not have a voice. Whatever the reason it caused some sections to feel disjointed.
Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend this book and will probably suggest it to friends and family.
First, I would like to say that I really hope there are more copy edits to be done on this manuscript as there were many mistakes that made sections of the book partially unreadable. This almost made me stop reading altogether. If I was Tarana Burke I would be pretty mad that my book was allowed out, even as an Advanced Reading copy, with the kind of errors left behind by her editors.
After finishing this book I am so glad that Burke had the courage to write this memoir. It's clear that this book is a powerful continuation of her work, one that will further her goal of promoting empathy and a greater community for survivors of sexual assault. Her writing shines in her recollections of specific interactions with the important people in her life. This is where you feel her warmth and strength propelling you through her story.
There were other moments where it felt like the writing flagged. It almost seemed like it came from another writer because it lost its warmth and humanity and became more clinical. I don't know if it was because these sections were more about relaying facts and information? It could have been from Burke's experience as a journalist, where writers are often are taught to not have a voice. Whatever the reason it caused some sections to feel disjointed.
Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend this book and will probably suggest it to friends and family.
Read
October 18, 20213,5*
JAV aktyvistės, #metoo judėjimo pradininkės Taranos Burke skaudūs, drąsūs ir kovingi memuarai.
Svarbiausia šios knygos žinutė - kad merginos/ moterys yra nekaltos dėl to kaip su jomis buvo pasielgta, ir gėdos jausmas turėtų kankinti ne aukas, bet kaltininkus.
JAV aktyvistės, #metoo judėjimo pradininkės Taranos Burke skaudūs, drąsūs ir kovingi memuarai.
Svarbiausia šios knygos žinutė - kad merginos/ moterys yra nekaltos dėl to kaip su jomis buvo pasielgta, ir gėdos jausmas turėtų kankinti ne aukas, bet kaltininkus.
February 7, 2022
Very good memoir. 👌🏾 Non-fiction is slowly becoming an enjoyable genre for me. I enjoy an easy to read and well told story. Tarana’s story makes you laugh and cry, cheer her on and cuss some folk out on her behalf. I can’t say that I knew the Me Too movement was started by a Black woman or maybe I forgot 🤔 but it’s one of the most important ones we have.
Her story is heartbreaking, inspiring, funny, uplifting and provides encouragement to those who may need some. I recommend this story to everyone. It’s not a long book at all and I gobbled it up in one sitting, it’s that good. I just couldn’t stop reading and listening (audiobook) to her read her own story.
Her story is heartbreaking, inspiring, funny, uplifting and provides encouragement to those who may need some. I recommend this story to everyone. It’s not a long book at all and I gobbled it up in one sitting, it’s that good. I just couldn’t stop reading and listening (audiobook) to her read her own story.
August 14, 2021
4 stars. This was an excellent but tough read. While I know of the subject of “Me Too”, it didn’t dawn on me that those two words could be a trigger for anyone sexually assaulted. The author’s voice is loud and clear and all the things she has done in her life with respect to this subject is admirable. I’m glad I read it, but will follow up with a lighter take.
October 21, 2021
3.5⭐️s
I'm so glad that Tarana Burke wrote this book. The last 3rd of the book felt rushed and less carefully edited to me, however.
I'm so glad that Tarana Burke wrote this book. The last 3rd of the book felt rushed and less carefully edited to me, however.
October 22, 2021
A must read! The audiobook was amazing!
March 2, 2022
First of all, a big kudos to anyone and everyone who are willing and strong enough to hang out their own lives out to dry the way Burke does in this book - damn! And it's always interesting to discover how people have been shaped by their history and experience. Especially when they've had such an impact on the world. Unfortunately, those two ingredients do not by themselves result in a good book.
To me, "Unbound" as a book appears to primarily serve the function of claiming ownership of "MeToo" - not the hashtag, per se, but the concept at its core. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to know where the movement came from. Nevertheless, when Burke starts the book by sharing her anger and fear about potentially "losing" the movement to white women, well, it skews the message a bit for me from the onset. Not because she doesn't have a point that it could have been, it totally could have been - originators and inventors everywhere get steamrolled - but because it frames the book as staking a claim.
Similarly, while I definitely think there's something to be said for how different cultures and population subsets experience similar events differently, I would have liked to see Burke transcend the differences in a way she criticizes others for not doing. It is absolutely possible to do that while maintaining and emphasizing the original audience.
Yet this isn't what made this a hard read for me (and I don't just mean because of the subject). No, what truly left me wanting is that I didn't feel like Burke connected with me - nor I with her - through her words. The writing was pretty clunky and could have benefited from some further editing. And while I laud the author for her work and managing to turn terrible experiences into something that help others, I didn't feel that she connected with me as a reader the way I think she would have had to for this book to work (for me).
As with most books written by activists, there are also a few interesting interpretations and conclusions expressed in the book. If one connects with the author and the story, these tend to work as one is invested in the author and her story. However, when there's already a disconnect, they tend to make one scrutinize the rest of the reasoning harder.
Regardless, all this said, Burke covers a lot of conversation starters in here and based on the ratings, she clearly connected better with other readers. So if you're curious about the roots of MeToo - and want either a little more meat on your bones, or more of a personal narrative than Wikipedia or a news article can provide - this book will likely provide you what you're looking for.
To me, "Unbound" as a book appears to primarily serve the function of claiming ownership of "MeToo" - not the hashtag, per se, but the concept at its core. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to know where the movement came from. Nevertheless, when Burke starts the book by sharing her anger and fear about potentially "losing" the movement to white women, well, it skews the message a bit for me from the onset. Not because she doesn't have a point that it could have been, it totally could have been - originators and inventors everywhere get steamrolled - but because it frames the book as staking a claim.
Similarly, while I definitely think there's something to be said for how different cultures and population subsets experience similar events differently, I would have liked to see Burke transcend the differences in a way she criticizes others for not doing. It is absolutely possible to do that while maintaining and emphasizing the original audience.
Yet this isn't what made this a hard read for me (and I don't just mean because of the subject). No, what truly left me wanting is that I didn't feel like Burke connected with me - nor I with her - through her words. The writing was pretty clunky and could have benefited from some further editing. And while I laud the author for her work and managing to turn terrible experiences into something that help others, I didn't feel that she connected with me as a reader the way I think she would have had to for this book to work (for me).
As with most books written by activists, there are also a few interesting interpretations and conclusions expressed in the book. If one connects with the author and the story, these tend to work as one is invested in the author and her story. However, when there's already a disconnect, they tend to make one scrutinize the rest of the reasoning harder.
Regardless, all this said, Burke covers a lot of conversation starters in here and based on the ratings, she clearly connected better with other readers. So if you're curious about the roots of MeToo - and want either a little more meat on your bones, or more of a personal narrative than Wikipedia or a news article can provide - this book will likely provide you what you're looking for.
January 9, 2022
i am glad to know the name and story of the founder of the me too. Movement.
i think that this time i really understood just how much worse sexual violence is for black and brown girls (and other marginalized groups) - the more vulnerable, the worse. it really opened my eyes in terms of how much sexual violence gets hidden and how many victims are silenced. the ages shocked me - assaulted at 5 or 7, i was in kindergarten, and black women were being assaulted. it's hard to wrap my mind around. but it's real, and we must continue and/or contribute to Tarana's work. i was also floored by Tarana's persistance after being so disillusioned by her own community. i take great inspiration in that as well as her constant movement of seeking something better.
unfortunately, this book was not the banger i expected it to be. i am not sure why, but it lacked something. i didn't really feel the last chapter. i think i was hoping for a call to action.
i think that this time i really understood just how much worse sexual violence is for black and brown girls (and other marginalized groups) - the more vulnerable, the worse. it really opened my eyes in terms of how much sexual violence gets hidden and how many victims are silenced. the ages shocked me - assaulted at 5 or 7, i was in kindergarten, and black women were being assaulted. it's hard to wrap my mind around. but it's real, and we must continue and/or contribute to Tarana's work. i was also floored by Tarana's persistance after being so disillusioned by her own community. i take great inspiration in that as well as her constant movement of seeking something better.
unfortunately, this book was not the banger i expected it to be. i am not sure why, but it lacked something. i didn't really feel the last chapter. i think i was hoping for a call to action.
October 5, 2021
Burke’s memoir covers how she came to dedicate her life to protect the vulnerable & bring predators to account. It's well told as she speaks with integrity, vulnerability, & compassion. Her deep understanding of trauma is evident & her service to others after her own experience is all the more remarkable. She got serious with her activism once she realized the lack of programs to support/protect Black & Brown women who spoke up about their sexual abuse. Through organizing Me Too came to be & later morphed into a movement. Burke's activism continues to be foundational; she's interrupted not just the predator but those complicit in protecting the powerful. She also addresses her concerns as she watched #metoo blow up on Twitter & why it was important that she lay claim to the Me Too phrase (fearing white women would erase years of her work by claiming it as their own) & explains how she later came to understand that all women needed the same thing as Black & Brown women- space to be seen & heard. This memoir is a quick, compelling, & astonishing read. Tarana Burke is serving us everyday by lifting women up & her impact has been extraordinary. That 💯 moves me.
September 22, 2021
I had no idea the #metoo movement was originally started by a black woman named Tarana Burke about 10 years prior to the movement becoming a force on twitter about some white Hollywood executive. I legit thought some white celebrity made this hashtag up.
Her personal story is heartbreaking ❤️🩹 as she chronicles her life growing up, her relationship with her mother, and the rape she experienced as a young girl.
This was a pick from my Literati book club and I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced and engaging memoir.
Her personal story is heartbreaking ❤️🩹 as she chronicles her life growing up, her relationship with her mother, and the rape she experienced as a young girl.
This was a pick from my Literati book club and I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced and engaging memoir.
September 17, 2021
I wanted to like this book more. The story is raw, and scary. The triumph of the #metoo movement is not really a happy ending. I was left with a gaping hole in my heart. I think I would like seeing Tarana Burke speak in person. I think it would be powerful. The book didn't do her justice.
September 25, 2021
Imani Perry said that Unbound stands alongside I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and I completely agree. I really believe that Tarana Burke's story is going to help women and girls as much as Maya Angelou's story has. What an incredible, vulnerable, and powerful memoir. Tarana Burke brings so much needed attention to the complexities of sexual assault for Black girls, complexities that aren't really there for white women and girls. The history of Black men being falsely accused of raping white women (and being killed for it) makes it so much harder now for Black girls and women to talk openly about their abuse. As a little girl, Tarana was so worried that if she told her family about her abuse, her stepfather would end up in jail because he would protect her—which means he would seriously injure the boy who raped her. She also talks about in an interview the story of a Hispanic girl who was raped by her uncle, but she didn't tell anyone because she was worried her family would get deported. Intersectionality plays such a huge role in Black and Brown women's experience of sexual abuse, and their experiences have been ignored for so long. The work that Tarana has done to heal herself and start the healing process in her community is absolutely incredible.
Unbound also shows the effects that sexual abuse has on survivors, especially children. Her story shows so well that hurt people hurt people. This is shown through the way she hurts other girls as a teenager because she was so wrapped up in shame, pain, and anger. She shows this through her experience with Heaven, a little girl who tried to open up to her, but Tarana pushed her away because Heaven's experience reminded her too much of her own. She shows it through her relationship with her mother. I loved this part of the book because it's a question that I've been confused about for a while. What does it mean that we can only love other people as much as we love ourselves? Tarana Burke puts it so well:
"There is no question that self hate severely limits one's capacity to love fully and wholeheartedly. Capacity and desire are not the same thing, especially in discussions of love." Pg 106
You can 100% desire to love your child unconditionally, but that doesn't mean you have the capacity to do so! Capacity to love others comes from the love you have for yourself. Such an important lesson.
I learned so much from reading this memoir. I was expecting a little more history of the beginning of the 'me too.' Movement that she started, but it really focused on her own journey, which was beautiful. I would love for her to write more books that focus more on her work in the movement as well!
Unbound also shows the effects that sexual abuse has on survivors, especially children. Her story shows so well that hurt people hurt people. This is shown through the way she hurts other girls as a teenager because she was so wrapped up in shame, pain, and anger. She shows this through her experience with Heaven, a little girl who tried to open up to her, but Tarana pushed her away because Heaven's experience reminded her too much of her own. She shows it through her relationship with her mother. I loved this part of the book because it's a question that I've been confused about for a while. What does it mean that we can only love other people as much as we love ourselves? Tarana Burke puts it so well:
"There is no question that self hate severely limits one's capacity to love fully and wholeheartedly. Capacity and desire are not the same thing, especially in discussions of love." Pg 106
You can 100% desire to love your child unconditionally, but that doesn't mean you have the capacity to do so! Capacity to love others comes from the love you have for yourself. Such an important lesson.
I learned so much from reading this memoir. I was expecting a little more history of the beginning of the 'me too.' Movement that she started, but it really focused on her own journey, which was beautiful. I would love for her to write more books that focus more on her work in the movement as well!
November 28, 2021
Creator of the Me Too Movement, Tarana Burke shares her life with great honesty and dignity.
September 25, 2021
I had been intrigued to hear that Tarana Burke, the founder of the Me Too movement, was coming out with a book. Too often the news about this movement has discussed other figures and in some cases has gotten away from the original version of "Me Too," with Burke's voice minimized or not even heard. (And to be fair, she certainly doesn't have to involve herself in every case either!).
To be clear, this isn't about the movement, but the person. We follow Burke's life and how she came to lead this movement. And to be clear, some of these stories are sad and painful. She was sexually abused and raped multiple times in her life by people close to her. She didn't have the easiest life even aside from that. But all the same, she still found ways to get through and heal.
Overall, I'd say as a memoir this was not a book for me. Aside from the heavy subject matter, I wasn't particularly interested and wasn't compelled by her story, but that's only me. I DO think there is much value in that she has this book and has her own platform to tell her story. As mentioned above, in some ways it has felt Me Too has gotten away from its original version and/or intent, which is NOT a slight on Ms. Burke in any way.
If anything, I'd urge people to read this as a reminder of how this movement started and why, unfortunately, we have "Me Too" in the first place.
As already noted, the book deals with issues including sexual assault and rape, domestic violence, emotional/physical abuse, etc. But all the same: definitely a book to read if you get the chance. Library borrow might be best but for the right person (historian, researcher, etc.) it could be a good buy, too.
To be clear, this isn't about the movement, but the person. We follow Burke's life and how she came to lead this movement. And to be clear, some of these stories are sad and painful. She was sexually abused and raped multiple times in her life by people close to her. She didn't have the easiest life even aside from that. But all the same, she still found ways to get through and heal.
Overall, I'd say as a memoir this was not a book for me. Aside from the heavy subject matter, I wasn't particularly interested and wasn't compelled by her story, but that's only me. I DO think there is much value in that she has this book and has her own platform to tell her story. As mentioned above, in some ways it has felt Me Too has gotten away from its original version and/or intent, which is NOT a slight on Ms. Burke in any way.
If anything, I'd urge people to read this as a reminder of how this movement started and why, unfortunately, we have "Me Too" in the first place.
As already noted, the book deals with issues including sexual assault and rape, domestic violence, emotional/physical abuse, etc. But all the same: definitely a book to read if you get the chance. Library borrow might be best but for the right person (historian, researcher, etc.) it could be a good buy, too.
September 14, 2021
Tarana Burke shares her story. An important read about how she came to understand her own experience and her community and movement work.
I think the two most powerful parts of the memoir are about Maya Angelou and Heaven. With Maya Angelou, she gave Burke what the MeToo movement gives many survivors—the knowledge that they’re not alone. With Heaven, we are able to read a part of Burke’s story in which she wasn’t able to be there for a young girl trying to share her story. She reflects on how her inability to be there for Heaven urged her to do better for other survivors.
I think the two most powerful parts of the memoir are about Maya Angelou and Heaven. With Maya Angelou, she gave Burke what the MeToo movement gives many survivors—the knowledge that they’re not alone. With Heaven, we are able to read a part of Burke’s story in which she wasn’t able to be there for a young girl trying to share her story. She reflects on how her inability to be there for Heaven urged her to do better for other survivors.
March 24, 2022
This book is amazing. A must read.
April 29, 2025
2.5⭐️ This read more as a memoir of Tarana Burke’s life with little focus on the “me too” movement. An important story, but for memoirs I typically prefer to go into it because I want to know more about that person’s life. I also think there should be trigger warnings at the beginning because there were multiple sexual assaults described in graphic detail. Overall, I recognize this as a meaningful story, but didn’t particularly enjoy it being told as a memoir and without focus on the actual movement itself.
February 20, 2024
This book is a must read.
This book should be required reading.
This book is for all the Black and Brown Girls continually looked over, made out to be less than because of abusers a system, because of inherited trauma and so much more.
HOWEVER, despite the violence, sexual or psychological, the abuse, what the book and Tarana Burke stand up for, this book was full of love, faith, hope and joy.
This book has immediately joined the rank of all time favourites and will be certainly reread that's for sure.
This book should be required reading.
This book is for all the Black and Brown Girls continually looked over, made out to be less than because of abusers a system, because of inherited trauma and so much more.
HOWEVER, despite the violence, sexual or psychological, the abuse, what the book and Tarana Burke stand up for, this book was full of love, faith, hope and joy.
This book has immediately joined the rank of all time favourites and will be certainly reread that's for sure.
February 22, 2022
When Tarana Burke was a young girl, she was sexually assaulted. She kept it to herself, not wanting to cause a problem for anyone. Throughout her childhood, in many of her experiences, she felt her perception of being "dirty" or "bad" was reinforced. She struggled throughout her teen years to find a place where she felt like she fit in and where she felt valued. Eventually, her exposure to a leadership group, 21C, changed her trajectory and she became involved in issues of social justice as an activist. As an activist, much of her efforts were directed at supporting Brown and Black girls. She was often dealing with the impact of sexual abuse, but she still could not bring herself to speak of her own personal experience until a difficult personal reckoning that ended with her writing the phrase "me too" on a notebook. This was the beginning of the "metoo" movement. What is most often referred to now as #metoo from when it went viral around 2015, began in 2005 with Burke's work with helping Brown and Black girls and women heal from sexual abuse and assault. Burke's personal story shines a light not only on the all the ways abuse impacts girl's lives as they grow up, she also speaks to the way Brown and Black women aren't responded to the same way when their abuse is spoken about. There is a lot in here that is heartbreaking - but one of the elements that made my heart ache was the way her "found family" - people that she loved, respected, and deeply trusted - rejected and treated her with vindictive scorn when she shared her story and acted as an advocate for both her daughter and for other children in her community. It was difficult to see people who had done so much good still be willing to turn a blind eye to realities they wished to ignore. Highly recommend this book - but be aware that if reading about trauma is triggering for you, this may be a difficult reading experience. There is a special place in the universe for people who are willing to do the difficult work that Burke does day in and day out - who are able to take pain and constantly look for ways to support and help.
February 26, 2023
Wow, this woman was put on this earth to enact radical change. The way she weaves in & out of her story as well as so many other black girls & women’s stories was so beautifully done. She doesn’t shy away from her missteps as well which adds a level of vulnerability to this book. Highly highly recommend the audiobook, Tarana Burke is one of the most admirable women I’ve read about.
December 4, 2021
Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement is an autobiography memoir written by Tarana Burke. It is a soul-baring memoir by one the most significant social activists of the past two decades.
Tarana Burke is an American activist from The Bronx, New York, who started the Me Too movement. In 2006, Burke began using metoo to help other women with similar experiences to stand up for themselves.
Burke reflects on her path from being a young, Black girl in the Bronx to becoming a globally recognized activist. In evocative prose, she reflects on the way her trauma fractured her sense of self and is equally forthcoming about her moments of courage and uncertainty. Most memorable is the intense love and respect that comes through in her recollections of the young people who have trusted her with their own painful stories.
Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement is written extremely well – it is far from perfect, but comes rather close. It is intensely moving and unapologetically frank, Burke’s fearless memoir will uplift and inspire the next generation of survivors, advocates, and truth-tellers. Burke's reckoning with her painful past becomes the blueprint for "me too." Told with candor and deep vulnerability, this story is raw and sobering but also a source of healing and hope for other survivors.
All in all, Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement is an unforgettable page-turner of a life story rendered with endless grace and grit.
Tarana Burke is an American activist from The Bronx, New York, who started the Me Too movement. In 2006, Burke began using metoo to help other women with similar experiences to stand up for themselves.
Burke reflects on her path from being a young, Black girl in the Bronx to becoming a globally recognized activist. In evocative prose, she reflects on the way her trauma fractured her sense of self and is equally forthcoming about her moments of courage and uncertainty. Most memorable is the intense love and respect that comes through in her recollections of the young people who have trusted her with their own painful stories.
Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement is written extremely well – it is far from perfect, but comes rather close. It is intensely moving and unapologetically frank, Burke’s fearless memoir will uplift and inspire the next generation of survivors, advocates, and truth-tellers. Burke's reckoning with her painful past becomes the blueprint for "me too." Told with candor and deep vulnerability, this story is raw and sobering but also a source of healing and hope for other survivors.
All in all, Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement is an unforgettable page-turner of a life story rendered with endless grace and grit.
November 16, 2021
Thank you for writing this book and taking me to places that I have never been before. Thank you for sharing your story. I will move about in this world with a little more insight and courage. This book truly transformed me.
November 15, 2021
This was so good. I applaud Tarana on being able to open up and share her full story with such realness. I understand that I am not the target audience for this book but it affected me all the same. I loved that in such a classy way, she reminds the world that the "me too" movement was not made for celebrity white women to confess their stories but actually was designed to be a safe space for black and brown girls who so often do not have the resources or help to deal with the trauma of sexual abuse and violence. Thankful that there are people like Tarana on this earth who can in so many ways ease the burden and be a guiding light for others. I'm really just in awe of her storytelling and her resilience.
November 17, 2024
This has been on my TBR for years because I was afraid of feeling the feelings I knew this book would bring forth. #MeToo
This book should be required reading. Not just for women. For all. We all need to face what happens to women. What happens to children. What happens when we continue to support (elect) men that commit crimes, crimes of sexual harassment, abuse, and assault. Believe women. Believe children. Learn how to have the conversations with your loved ones so they feel comfortable and safe to share their truths with you. It is never, ever, ever, ever, ever the victims fault. Learn that. Live that. Spread that knowledge. Do better.
This book should be required reading. Not just for women. For all. We all need to face what happens to women. What happens to children. What happens when we continue to support (elect) men that commit crimes, crimes of sexual harassment, abuse, and assault. Believe women. Believe children. Learn how to have the conversations with your loved ones so they feel comfortable and safe to share their truths with you. It is never, ever, ever, ever, ever the victims fault. Learn that. Live that. Spread that knowledge. Do better.
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