UnSlut: A Diary and a Memoir

Gr 8 Up—In 2013, Lindin created The UnSlut Project, an online community in which she posted entries from the diary she kept between sixth and eighth grade detailing her experiences being bullied because of untrue rumors about her sexual conduct. As a result of the positive feedback she received, she published her diary entries in book form. The adult Lindin adds commentary throughout. She reminds readers that her diary was written from her perspective only and admits that others may have had different perceptions of the events in question. The journal describes the girl's interactions with her peers, with only brief mentions of parents, family, teachers, or school work. Readers learn how as an 11-year-old, Lindin saw her peers drinking, using inappropriate sexual language, and engaging in sexual activities, which often made her uncomfortable. Because she wanted to be popular, she took part in activities that she found awkward or unpleasant. Often books of this ilk end unhappily in order to drive home a message, but the author makes it clear that in high school she was able to make a new start. Though Lindin was between the ages of 11 and 13 when she wrote her diary, the book deals with some mature sexual themes and situations.