Read And Revel

Keeley Hazell writes a raw, real, and often funny account of her own life in Everyone’s Seen My Tits. From a difficult and abusive childhood, growing up running the streets, using “page 3” topless modeling to escape poverty, and facing the realities of betrayal and objectification by a system we’re all bound to, her account shares what many women face and fear. This book took me by surprise, as someone who wasn’t familiar with her work, the title very much jumped out at me, but to read through her lens of growth, maturity, and surviving the odds despite many setbacks and hardships was nothing short of inspiring. 

From beginning to end Hazell writes in a way that makes you feel like a close confidante swapping stories in the dead of night. From reminiscing over first loves, and humbly discussing other less satisfying firsts we get a truly intimate look at how the decisions of those around her, and the influences she faced helped to shape the way she saw herself. Many of us can relate to her tales of highs and lows, of silly teenage mistakes, and the power of Mariah Carey over sad white girls. 

Throughout her journey through the past we get many glimpses of her thoughts on those moments, coming from a place of understanding. She opens with an interview where the journalist simply asked, “Are you a feminist?”. Having no familiarity with the term she fakes her way through an answer, but this causes her to take a moment to find what that truly means. When your entire world is centered on survival, you don’t take the time to examine and question the world around you. Why did she feel so pressured to behave a certain way, to always have a man, to follow rules that the men in her life don’t. When she is later betrayed through a revenge video she tries to find hope her career isn’t over for good. Why is it that only men who do sex work are forgiven, but the women seem to lose everything but the chance at Playboy spreads and reality TV? 

I’m very familiar with research and first hand accounts of how sex work at all levels can contribute to a person’s outlook on the world, and themselves. Pushed into a box where men feel that they own you, that whatever happens to you is your own fault. We all face at some time that we are all in some ways prison to the societal rules we’ve been given since birth. Her powerful account of the inner turmoil, the effects on her family, and the effects on her self worth, shows how moments can define who we are at a fundamental level. We rarely know who we are at 18 years old, but when you’re told in your formative years you’re “only good for one thing” it can be hard to find anything else worthy within yourself. 

It was beautiful to see that through therapy, and research she’s taken the time to understand why things shaped her, but to own the ways she is in control of her life. Healing can happen, with a bit of time and understanding, choosing to acknowledge what has happened, but not let shame hold you. Even in the darkest of events, there is always a chance for a new happiness, a new outlook, and new opportunities if we don’t give up on ourselves. 

Quotes that stuck out:

“It’s hard to know who you are at eighteen, especially when you value one thing and the world seems to value another.”

“The underlying message of it always being the same: You have nothing to offer but sex.”

“Ironically, out of all the girls I knew and were friends with, the Page 3 and glamour models were the most insecure about their bodies, because every part of our physique was dissected, scrutinized, and held up for judgment.”

“I didn’t want to change my name just to comply with societal rules and, in doing so, submit to the idea that I should feel ashamed or embarrassed for what had happened to me.”

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Thank you Grand Central Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.