Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender and ConformityMattilda Bernstein Sycamore "Nobody Passes" is a collection of essays that confronts and challenges the very notion of belonging. By examining the perilous intersections of identity, categorization, and community, contributors challenge societal mores and countercultural norms. "Nobody Passes" explores and critiques the various systems of power seen (or not seen) in the act of "passing." In a pass-fail situation, standards for acceptance may vary, but somebody always gets trampled on. This anthology seeks to eliminate the pressure to pass and thereby unearth the delicious and devastating opportunities for transformation that might create. Mattilda, aka Matt Bernstein Sycamore, has a history of editing anthologies based on brazen nonconformity and gender defiance. Mattilda sets out to ask the question, "What lies are people forced to tell in order to gain acceptance as 'real'." The answers are as varied as the life experiences of the writers who tackle this urgent and essential topic. |
Contents
AN INTRODUCTION | 7 |
INHABITING MIXED CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE MARGINS | 20 |
A NONFICTION ADMISSION | 38 |
WHOS THAT WAVIN THAT FLAG? ON THE SIGNS STORIES AND STRATEGIES OF THE CURRENT IMMIGRANT RIGHTS MOVEMENT | 49 |
UNDERMINING GENDER REGULATION | 64 |
PASSING LAST SUMMER | 71 |
STATE PROTECTION AND THE BATTERED WOMENS MOVEMENT | 83 |
FINDING MY WAY THROUGH GENERATIONS OF OKIE MIGRATION | 95 |
PASSING LIFE IN PRISON | 197 |
RACE HAUNTED OTHERWISE | 208 |
WHY MAHMUD CANT BE A PILOT | 218 |
F2MESTIZO | 228 |
PERSEPHONE | 236 |
HAT | 243 |
GENDERFUCKING ON THE FEMME SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM | 254 |
SURFACE TENSIONS | 270 |
WHAT I LEARNED FROM BEING G MINUS IN THE WORLD OF HOMOHOP COMMERCE | 112 |
NO LONGER JUST AMERICAN | 127 |
THE END OF GENDERQUEER | 137 |
MY KIND OF CRUISING | 149 |
PINOS FATHER | 159 |
TRANSPORTATION | 173 |
MELCHIZEDEKS THREE RINGS | 186 |
ORIGINS | 284 |
LACK OF CLOSE FRIENDS OR CONFIDANTS | 302 |
NOTES ON PASSING FOR MONOLINGUAL FOLK | 307 |
NOT QUITE QUEER | 318 |
NOTES | 336 |
Other editions - View all
Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender and Conformity Matt Bernstein Sycamore Limited preview - 2010 |
Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender and Conformity Matt Bernstein Sycamore No preview available - 2010 |
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A.K.A. MATT BERNSTEIN ain't Arab American Asian asked battered women's movement Bessie body boys BULLDAGGER butch Butchlalis called client cruising culture D/DC disability domestic violence drag drag king dressed dyke experiences father feel felt female feminine feminist folks friends fuck Gay Shame gender genderqueer girl going gonna hair Hopewell immigrants Jessica KIRK READ knew lesbian living look male masculine MATT BERNSTEIN SYCAMORE MATTILDA mother Muslim never Okay Okie pass person Pino Pino's politics prison privilege queer question race racial racism radical RALOWE ROXANNE DUNBAR-ORTIZ San Francisco Sandy sex workers SexPanic sexual shelters social someone space started story straight street talk tell TERRE THAEMLITZ things thought Tim'm tion told trans transgender transmen transphobia transsexual transwomen trying Ulster Scots violence against women walk wearing woman women of color write yarmulke