Teach Me (There's Something About Marysburg, #1)

by Olivia Dade

Hating such an unexceptional face might prove difficult, but she’d persevere.

Being a woman didn’t obligate her to make men—or anyone—comfortable in her presence.

“Transgender people have certainly existed throughout history, although I haven’t heard any evidence in support of Hatshepsut transitioning to become a man. That said, historians can overlook things they don’t expect to find. They’re products of their era, just like the people they’re studying.”

history isn’t an inevitable march toward greater freedoms for women and various marginalized groups. Rights can be granted and then removed, and then given again at some point in the future. Or not.”

“In my class, I don’t save discussions of women for women’s history month, because if we don’t talk about women, we’re not addressing half the population. If you don’t know what they were doing, what rights they did or didn’t have, how they affected their culture and government and economy, you don’t know history. Period.”

History is written by those in power, but those deprived of power deserve to be seen too.

“And women often get cast as villains for trying to be the heroes of their own stories, so better to embrace the role from the start. Make it your own.”

“There’s a lot of black clothing for women my size, but most of it was created to facilitate the disappearance of the woman wearing it. To erase her from sight in apology for her existence as a fat woman. That’s not the kind of black clothing I wear. Mine has metallic accents. Bold lines. Quality fabrics. Good tailoring. All unmistakable markers that I’m not apologizing or looking to disappear.”

“I don’t intend to present a more comfortable version of myself for anyone. Even me.”

You will always, always have enough functioning brain cells to worry. It’s one of your many charms.”