“Sara’s an architect of change.”—Maria Shriver Foreword by Richard Carmona MD, MPH, FACS, 17th Surgeon General of the United States The inspirational, deeply researched wellness journey by the award-winning filmmaker, activist, and founder of Women Rising, shining a light on how too many girls are trained to self-silence and serve others — and how we can heal. For generations, women have been told to be “good”—to put others first, to silence their own voices, to neglect their own needs. But a new groundswell of evidence reveals the cost: when our lives are compromised, so are our immune systems. Raised in a big Texas-Lebanese family as the eldest and only daughter, Sara Hirsh Bordo grew up caring for everyone else’s needs at the expense of her own. Later, as an acclaimed director lifting up other women’s stories, she watched her own body collapse under the weight of autoimmune disease and cancer. Only when she finally reclaimed sovereignty over her own voice, did she heal. Determined to understand this link, Sara funded the first quantitative research at the intersection of female empowerment and autoimmunity. The results were groundbreaking: women raised in caretaker roles—especially eldest daughters—are disproportionately likely to develop autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s, lupus, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and more. This study, endorsed by former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona, garnered national media attention and has been shared across 20 countries. In these pages, you will find: How compromised girlhood identities create compromised immune systems in womanhood—and how to rewrite your story. - Impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on autoimmunity and poor health. - Stunning findings from her research, such as more than 6 in 10 women with autoimmune diseases were raised as the oldest or only daughter in their families - What radically changes in health when authenticity, environment, and self-permission finally align. -  Inner girlhood work, including re-mothering through modern and mystical feminine archetypes. - How to unlearn your primary role as a caregiver and practical guides for evolving from “good” to “real” at any age. Weaving together memoir, exclusive expert interviews, evidence-based findings, and women’s personal stories, Autoimmunity and the Good Girls is a rousing testament to the missing modality in women’s health— sovereign self-permission to speak up, to transform, and heal.  Autoimmunity and the Good Girls is a deeply validating exploration of how being raised to be “good” can quietly shape a woman’s wellbeing. With data-driven research and gripping stories from her own life, Sara Hirsh Bordo shows how self-silencing and chronic caregiving take a tremendous toll on women’s bodies. She guides us toward reclaiming ourselves as part of healing both body and soul—powerfully taking back what we need to thrive. As a woman, and a daughter with my own story of autoimmune challenges, I recognized myself in these pages. I can’t think of anything more powerful than being seen and validated in the struggles of womanhood and family life. - Dr. Allison M. Alford, communication scholar and author of Good Daughtering Sara Hirsh Bordo’s Autoimmunity and the Good Girls is the kind of support every woman deserves, the kind that doesn’t talk down to you or try to fix you, it reminds you that you’re not broken. It’s deeply human, and full of real tools you can use right away. If you’ve been searching for clarity, or a way forward, you’re going to feel so grateful you found it. - Tamsen Fadal, New York Time bestselling author of How to Menopause & host of The Tamsen Show Sara's an Architect of Change - Maria Shriver, New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist Sara Hirsh Bordo’s Autoimmunity and the Good Girls is a brave and necessary work. It is a book about illness, yes—but more importantly, it’s a book about voice. About the cost of silence. . . Sara weaves together science, soul, and social commentary with clarity that is both urgent and compassionate. Her voice is one that demands to be heard—not just for her own healing, but for the millions of others who stories remain untold. - Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States, excerpted from the foreword The insights Sara brings from her personal experience enrich a unique voice that beautifully combines wellness and empowerment. Her personal storytelling in Autoimmunity and the Good Girls will broadcast a message certain to resonate and inspire women everywhere, - Julie F. Kay, author of Controlling Women: What We Must Do Now to Save Reproductive Freedom Not only is Sara a beloved leader in our shared women and girls space, but her quality of writing is so accessible and beyond inspiring. I can’t wait for the I Am That Girl community to awaken to new heights within themselves because of what Sara is presenting in Autoimmunity and the Good Gi