Sissy

January 1, 2019
A gender nonconforming writer and performer debuts with a memoir about growing into the "most effervescent, gorgeous, dignified sissy that the world has ever seen."From early childhood, Tobia's "femininity came as naturally as my masculinity." But in a household defined by a "mundane, practical masculinity," Tobia found few avenues for self-expression. Once in preschool, the author found that gender identity was so heavily policed by parents, teachers, and other children that they renounced all outward markers of femininity a few years later. Church--and specifically, the handbell choir--became a space that allowed Tobia to quietly "queen out." The author also discovered another refuge among schoolmates whose tastes in anime and fantasy allowed them access to "lots of gay-leaning stuff: shows about sparkly dragons, cartoons about fairies, anime with buff shirtless dudes screaming in ecstasy as they shot their giant laser beams at other dudes." Female high school friends gradually helped the author take their first steps toward accepting their homosexuality and femininity. But Tobia still faced opposition from others, including the members of their beloved church congregation. It was in the relative freedom of college at Duke that Tobia fought to claim their "femininity in the light of day." By senior year, the author, who was a member of the Biden Foundation's Advisory Council for Advancing LGBTQ Equality, became a respected, highly visible gender activist who proudly wore skirts and heels. Tobia's "coming-of-gender" story about a trans identity that refuses to be contained within the cisgender masculine/feminine binary, is refreshing, courageous, and important. Though the author sometimes overdoes the self-congratulation and snarkiness, these flaws are more than overcome by the feisty candor and wit, especially when discussing their relationship with their parents and the church that at first rejected but then finally accepted Tobia's sparkling "queer spirit."A funny, sharply observed, and intelligent journey into self-identity.

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Starred review from February 1, 2019
?Tobia, who uses "they" and "their" as pronouns, is a gifted storyteller. Their fascinating story begins with life as a feminine little boy, whose best friends were girls, to graduation summa cum laude from Duke as a proud trans person. Along the way, it's a classic coming-of-age story that doubles as a quest to discover one's gender identity. Sissy, they write, was the first gender identity I ever had, the first word the world ever gave me. Gay (a term Tobia detests) arrives later as they come out of the closet and begin to reject a binary identity. Other words follow as they mature: transgender, genderqueer, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, etc. Words are obviously important in considering gender, but so is incident. A transformative moment comes when, as a teenager, Tobia buys a pair of women's shoes?with high heels, no less?and ultimately wears them to church. Surprisingly?for a gay person?they write, Church was my saving grace. Nevertheless, their relationship with their church becomes uneasy at one significant point before they are able to return to its grace. The most interesting part of the story, however, concerns Tobia's years at Duke, where, they note, they were a Big Queen on Campus. These were also the years when they ultimately found their gender as a trans person. Always thoughtful, Tobia writes extremely well, with insight, lucidity, occasional anger, and, when things get too serious, wit. The result is, hands down, one of the best trans narratives available; it deserves a place in every library.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)