I can't really speak for the other pieces of diversity in this book, but I will say it was super awesome to see a bisexual black main character instead of a straight while girl like most eating disorder stories. I think "Not Otherwise Specified" handles eating disorders in a realistic yet positive, healthy & way I would highly highly recommend it for this reason. It's great that a lot of ED books are able to capture the rawness of what it's like to suffer from these illnesses, but it can be very harmful by putting you back in this mindset. I also think it's great because it did not feel as triggering (to me) as many other books about eating disorders, even ones that involve recovery. Virtually any scene that involved Etta's feelings about her body or her ED really spoke to me. Not only does it show an eating disorder that isn't always recognized in fiction (Otherwise Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder), but it was a very realistic portrayal of some of the experiences one might have in recovery. In my opinion, this book has fantastic representation for eating disorders. I can't tell you how wonderful it is for me to say "This book relates to how I currently feel," instead of "This book relates to how I felt 5 years ago." For years, I have been saying I want a book about a girl in eating disorder recovery who is in the process of regaining her relationship with food and has gained weight back as a result, while ALSO still struggling & having trouble not wishing for the past behaviors to return.
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