Ugly: A Letter to My Daughter
SKU: 61353685124

Ugly: A Letter to My Daughter

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Ugly: A Letter to My DaughterA tender, moving, and insightful account of queer motherhood and an interrogation of life on the margins of American culture as a self described "ugly" woman "A rigorous ladyballs out polemic that also tells the most raw, tender, against all odds story of parenthood that I've ever read." Mary Gaitskill, author of Veronica Ugly is a word with fangs that can kill a woman's self esteem in one bite. Edicts about how women should look, behave, and think

A tender, moving, and insightful account of queer motherhood and an interrogation of life on the margins of American culture as a self-described "ugly" woman

"A rigorous ladyballs-out polemic that also tells the most raw, tender, against-all-odds story of parenthood that I've ever read." --Mary Gaitskill, author of Veronica

Ugly is a word with fangs that can kill a woman's self-esteem in one bite. Edicts about how women should look, behave, and think are the brutal forge through which they are made -- not born -- as Simone de Beauvoir famously argued in The Second Sex. And to defy the pretty imperative is to experience a kind of invisibility. It can be a hard thing to admit to yourself, let alone to your child, to say the words "I am ugly" or "I am seen as ugly." But early on in her motherhood journey, watching her young daughter begin to wrestle with beauty standards, Stephanie Fairyington felt compelled to face her own demons and to unpack her own ugly self-perception, one that she could trace to her own childhood, in order to conquer this seemingly immoveable frontier, far too taboo even among women to broach: the ways in which women's lives are unfairly contoured by the nature of their looks.

The multiple iterations of ugliness that Fairyington saw in her young self--her physical appearance, her formative gender dissonance, and obvious lesbianism--are not present in her beautiful and traditionally feminine daughter. But Fairyington's old feelings of inadequacy take on new meaning as she confronts fresh insecurities around her role as the nonbiological mother in her relationship, exacerbating wounds from a lifetime of being treated differently, from the poverty of her genetic inheritance to questions about her parentage to doubts about the legitimacy of her family.

Interlacing cultural history and analysis with memoir, Ugly is a probing investigation into cultural norms and the formation of our aesthetic sense of self. Fairyington contrasts her so-called ugliness with her daughter's attractiveness and adherence to beauty ideals, a tender and tenuous condition that her daughter was already walking a tightrope to maintain at age six. By sharing the history of her troubled self-image, Fairyington invites us to go rogue, to invent a new language and logic to overthrow all the ways that women have been cultivated to hate themselves.

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SKU: 61353685124

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David Zielinski
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 5
Great Value for the Money!
Size: 10.5, Color: Black/White
Pleasantly surprised at this price point! Comfy, sturdy and a way better sole the Sketchers! Amazon products in general have been really good quality at affordable prices!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2026
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Gaile Kausch
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 1
Size not as expected
Size: 11.5, Color: Grey
Ordered same size as I always do. Way too large. Size listed was off by a long shot
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Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2026
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Professor's opinion
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 4
Lightweight and True to Size — Best for Casual Use
Size: 9.5, Color: Navy, Size: 9.5, Color: Navy
It is nice to see the Amazon Essentials brand expand from household essentials to apparel and shoes. I ordered the Amazon Essentials Men's Lightweight Knit Running Sneakers. The product is made in Vietnam and comes in a shoe box, which is nice. I've noticed that quite often, inexpensive shoes are delivered just in a plastic bag. The sneakers are ready to use and have no odors from glue, organic solvents, etc., which is common nowadays. I wear a size 9W or 9.5. These sneakers are 9.5 and feel like a typical 9.5 size, without surprises. The product is advertised as lightweight, and it is true. Each shoe weighs below 0.6 lb (265 grams). Inside is soft memory foam; the shoes sit on the foot well, snug enough and comfortable, and are easy to put on and take off. They seem like a good fit for spring and summer as casual footwear or for light gym use. The sole is simple and not designed for performance or high-impact activities. Overall, a solid, reasonably priced, comfortable everyday option, though not intended for serious running or training.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2026
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AmberR
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
Budget buy while being as comfy and stylish as an expensive brand!
Size: 9.5, Color: Navy, Size: 9.5, Color: Navy
My 14 year old had been running his own business since he was 12. He does lawn care and snow removal. His go to shoes when it's too hot for his work boots has always been off brand hey d*de style ones which are terrible for that kind of work as they just don't have the ankle support. He's also had some Orthopedic arch supports custom made for him through the DR in the last year that he needs to use in whatever shoes he's wearing at the time. So I've been on the search for a simple pair of slip on shoes that he could wear while working long hours around our community. He's sent me this picture tonight before heading out. He said "I didn't feel like putting my arch supports in and these are so comfy that I don't even notice I don't have them!" They are sharp looking shoes that really stand out as of they were A high end pair! It's great that they can be an every day style or could be more of a sport shoe as they have the support and padding for both options. In our case they likely be green with in a day or two and it'll be interesting to see how well they wipe off between his work days. I can update this review once he's worn them a bit more. For now they have been perfect for versatility, size was true to size (I did order 1/2 size up, but only did that because he's growing so fast!) and they are definitely a great fit to a budget!!!!
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BamaGirl
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Good purchase.
Size: Medium, Color: Black, Size: Medium, Color: Black
My daughter needed some black sweaters for work at Starbucks. Came across these and snatched one. Price was really good, it is soft, black color is vivid and did not fade after washing. Durable and well-made. Fits as expected...she wanted something loose on her to wear on cold nights over her shirt. Keeps her warm. It came pretty quickly. The material is soft and its comfortable to wear. Nice basic sweatshirt to have in your closet! Pleased with purchase 😊 hopefully this helps!! Oh we intentionally bought bigger for an oversized fit.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2026

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