Amy Gabrielle is a writer, digital creator, and advocate for authentic self-expression in midlife women. Following her husband’s death from cancer, she began using memoir and social media to explore the complex intersection of grief and desire, cultivating a community of thousands drawn to honest conversations about life after loss. Her work appears in Absolute Pleasure on Substack, as well as Medium publications including The Memoirist and Slackjaw. She lives in New York City, where she enjoys photography, travel, and raising her son.
More of Amy
During my second year of widowhood I kept busy collecting new lingerie and sexy cosplay outfits. I became my own muse and took thousands of photos of myself, posting my favorites on Instagram. When my husband was alive, I’d always just worn cotton underwear, confident in my own skin and in my marriage. When he died, I suddenly felt ugly and unloveable. Lingerie and sexy costumes made me feel desirable again, and my photoshoots were motivation to get into the shower on a regular basis.
