"Becoming Unbecoming" by Una is a raw and emotional autobiography that intertwines Una's childhood sexual traumas with the fear of the Yorkshire Ripper, highlighting the societal unease and misogyny faced by women. The book delves into the consequences of male violence and sexual assault from the perspective of an abuse survivor, shedding light on the structural and societal sexism prevalent in society during that era.
Una's storytelling is straightforward and poignant, exposing the ways in which young girls are made to believe that they are at fault for the violence and injustices they face. Through a combination of text, illustrations, and sobering statistics, Una navigates through her own experiences of sexual abuse while dissecting the rape culture prevalent in the shadow of the Yorkshire Ripper's terror.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains high content warnings for violence against women, sexual assault, and discussions of trauma.
From The Publisher:
This extraordinary graphic novel is a powerful denunciation of sexual violence against women. As seen through the eyes of a twelve-year-old girl named Una, it takes place in northern England in 1977, as the Yorkshire Ripper, a serial killer of prostitutes, is on the loose and creating panic among the townspeople. As the police struggle in their clumsy attempts to find the killer, and the headlines in the local paper become more urgent, a once self-confident Una teaches herself to lower her gaze in order to deflect attention from boys.
After she is slut-shamed at school for having birth control pills, Una herself is the subject of violent acts for which she comes to blame herself. But as the police finally catch up and identify the killer, Una grapples with the patterns of behavior that led her to believe she was to blame.
Becoming Unbecoming combines various styles, press clippings, photo-based illustrations, and splashes of color to convey Una's sense of confusion and rage, as well as sobering statistics on sexual violence against women. The book is a no-holds-barred indictment of sexual violence against women and the shame and blame of its victims that also celebrates the empowerment of those able to gain control over their selves and their bodies.
Una (a pseudonym) is an artist, academic, and comics creator. Becoming Unbecoming, which took seven years to create, is her first book. She lives in the United Kingdom.
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About the Author:
Una: Una is an artist, academic and comics creator. Her self-published graphic narratives have explored disability, psychosis, political activism and violence against women and girls. Becoming Unbecoming is her first book.
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