Benjamin B

“The nonacceptance of your body is yet one more expression of the internal shame. The apparent motive for body building is to achieve a beautiful physique; however, the underlying motive is to relieve shame. It’s all about making yourself more acceptable and less flawed, and in short, less shameful.”
― Alan Downs Ph. D., The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man's World

“I have no need to forgive you. You cannot offend me.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“Soon we are singing at the top of our lungs. A pop song that's as substantial as a balloon, but lifts us in the same way when we sing it.”
― David Levithan

“Sometimes being offered tenderness feels like the very proof that you've been ruined.”
― Ocean Vuong, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous