When I was asked by Playboy to do this pictorial," says Faye Resnick, "I did a lot of soul-searching. Ultimately, I decided it would be a liberating experience. Because of what I've been through in the past two and a half years I had lost my sense of joy. I'd become isolated and disconnected spiritually. The experience proved to be even more incredible than I expected--it was my first taste of freedom," she adds, referring to her unsolicited transition from anonymity.
"It was actually part of my reawakening. And I've never had a problem with nudity. I'm comfortable with my body. From my Mediterranean background I'm very European in my thinking, and Europeans aren't judgmental. To them, nudity is considered natural. I strongly believe the human body should be celebrated."
Faye had another reason for choosing to do this pictorial. "I am an unconventional woman," she continues, "and I realize I will always be controversial because I speak my mind without editing what's politically correct. I say what's in my heart." Faye doesn't want to place restrictions or limits on herself. "Through my recovery I've learned that I don't need to, nor do I ever wish to."
The author of two books--Nicole Brown Simpson: The Private Diary of a Life Interrupted and Shattered: In the Eye of the Storm --Faye is currently at work on her third, The Reinvention of a Woman. It's a self-help book that, she says, "will enable women to understand that their past has nothing to do with their future. That we can all change ourselves and our lives."
"It has been my experience that women must find their own voices and speak with conviction without becoming abrasive or alienating men. So many women feel powerless and not in control of their own destiny. The solution is for us to embrace our power."
Faye is a leading voice in the fight against domestic violence. She founded Domestic Violence Anonymous, a program that now exists in various cities across the country. She created a 14-step program for women who believe it's impossible to turn their lives around. As an advocate for abused women, Faye has appeared on national talk shows and has made numerous personal appearances. She has spent hours counseling women. To strengthen herself, she has been practicing meditation and tai chi every day for the past year and a half. As a proud liberal, she is determined to help women through difficult transitions in their lives.
Faye's greatest joy, she says, "is sharing my life with my daughter." Her greatest pain: "Losing my best friend." Her wishes for the future: "Losing my best friend." Her wishes for the future: "Healing and understanding between the sexes and races."
When Faye is not taking care of her daughter, or writing or speaking, she enjoys reading and watching the classics on AMC and TNT. "Those were gentler days," she says. "I can't take all the violence of modern films. There's a great quote from one of my favorite films: 'Once you find the way, you'll be bound. It'll obsess you. But believe me, it'll be a magnificent obsession.'"
