Page 30 - ATD 27MAY2017

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 27 May 2017
‘Big Bang Theory’ star shares her wisdom in ‘Girling Up’

LYNN ELBER tional and physical hurdles
AP Television Writer of growing up. It’s as forth-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — May- right as Bialik herself is in
im Bialik plays smart on TV’s conversation, with comic
“The Big Bang Theory” and book-style graphics adding
is smart in real life, with a a lively touch.
Ph.D. in neuroscience as The book’s roots stem from
evidence. “The Big Bang Theory” epi-
She joins her intelligence sode in which her charac-
with experience in “Girling ter, Amy, and boyfriend,
Up: How to be Strong, Sheldon (Jim Parsons), lose
Smart and Spectacular,” their virginity. That prompt-
a wide-ranging handbook ed Bialik to write an essay
on navigating the emo- for her website, Grok Na-

In this May. 23, 2017, photo, actress and author Mayim Bialik poses for a photo in Los Angeles.
Associated Press
tion, on what it’s like to be therapy a long time and Bialik: Because I’ve always
a late bloomer and “how has had to do a lot of intro- been the one that’s dif-
complicated intimacy can spection. And I was trained ferent. I always felt a tre-
be on TV and in real life,” as a scientist. mendous sense of shame
she said. AP: What ages is it intend- around it. I’m still different
Her discussion of modesty, ed for? as an adult. My sons know
absent religion or politics, Bialik: We’re saying 11 that I’m a boyish female.
caught the eye of pub- to 18, and anyone who They know that I like boxing
lisher Philomel Books and loves someone in that age and sports cars more than
“Girling Up” followed, said bracket. their father (laughs). ... I
Bialik, who recently signed AP: When you were that want girls who are like that
for two more years of “Big age, where did you get in- to know that it’s OK. And I
Bang Theory.” She’s also a formation such as this? want girls who are not like
mother of two boys, ages 8 Bialik: I didn’t. My mother that to know it’s OK.
and 11. was raised in a very reli- AP: What do you consider
In an interview with The gious household, her par- the key takeaways from
Associated Press, Bialik dis- ents were immigrants from your book?
cussed what’s covered in Eastern Europe. We didn’t Bialik: The first thing is know-
the book, which was re- talk about these things. I ing the basics of how your
viewed by a school coun- learned about it as I got body works and how the
selor, an obstetrician and a older. I was an exception- brain works. You are in
neuropsychologist. ally late bloomer. charge of your body. ... The
The AP: In “Girling Up,” you I don’t necessarily think notion of understanding
write that you considered it there was a problem with the broader concept of
important to write a holistic that, but I didn’t want to what is being female is very
guide. Beyond calling on present that as the only important. And a realistic
your own experience, what way to be in this book. But set of expectations of what
research was required? it took me a long time to your life can look like. This is
Bialik: I don’t mean to understand and come to not a book that’s very spar-
sound arrogant at all, but terms with a lot of aspects kly and shiny and says you
there wasn’t a lot of re- of being female. can do anything you want
search because I literally AP: The book tells readers as long as you put your
wrote the book of my life. there are different ways to mind to it. I didn’t like those
The science and the nutri- look, to be educated, to books when I was 14 and I
tion, all that stuff, all the get jobs, even how one’s don’t like those books now
stuff about learning and breasts may develop. Why as a woman. You don’t get
coping, that was gath- was it important to you to to do everything — you get
ered from the perspective present such a range of to choose what your every-
of someone who’s been in possibilities? thing is.q