Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story

Product Description

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER”Transformative … If Tobia aspires to the ranks of comic memoirists like David Sedaris and Mindy Kaling, Sissy succeeds.” –The New York Times Book Review (A Paperback Row Pick) A heart-wrenching, eye-opening, and giggle-inducing memoir about what it’s like to grow up not sure if you’re (a) a boy, (b) a girl, (c) something in between, or (d) all of the above.”A beautiful book . . . honest and funny.”–Trevor Noah, The Daily Show”Sensational.”–Tyler Oakley”Jacob Tobia is a force.” –Good Morning America”A trans Nora Ephron . . . both honest and didactic.” –OUT Magazine”A rallying cry for anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t belong.” –Woman’s Day

As a young child in North Carolina, Jacob Tobia wasn’t the wrong gender, they just had too much of the stuff. Barbies? Yes. Playing with bugs? Absolutely. Getting muddy? Please. Princess dresses? You betcha. Jacob wanted it all, but because they were “a boy,” they were told they could only have the masculine half. Acting feminine labelled them “a sissy” and brought social isolation.

It took Jacob years to discover that being “a sissy” isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s a source of pride. Following Jacob through bullying and beauty contests, from Duke University to the United Nations to the podiums of the Methodist church–not to mention the parlors of the White House–this unforgettable memoir contains multitudes. A deeply personal story of trauma and healing, a powerful reflection on gender and self-acceptance, and a hilarious guidebook for wearing tacky clip-on earrings in today’s world,
Sissy guarantees you’ll never think about gender–both other people’s and your own–the same way again.

Review

“[Tobia] combines incisive wit and undeniable intelligence to invite readers into their personal journey as a gender-nonconforming young person in North Carolina. . . It is in Tobia’s often self-deprecating humor that
Sissy is most transformative, and where it most departs from other trans memoirs. The seriousness of the topic never feels glossed over, which allows for an organic and seamless journey from tears on one page to laughing aloud on the next. If Tobia aspires to the ranks of comic memoirists like David Sedaris and Mindy Kaling,
Sissy succeeds.”
—New York Times Book Review

“With bare honesty, irreverent humor, and refreshing vulnerability, this memoir is a rallying cry for anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t belong.”
—Woman’s Day

“When the political reality facing this country seems dark, we need shinier, sparklier thinkers in the public eye. With a signature style matched only by their wit, Jacob fits that bill perfectly.”
–Alan Cumming

“
Sissy bravely moves the needle forward, boldly advocating for a world where people of all genders are treated equally and with dignity.
A story of audacity and courage,
Sissy is not to be missed.”
—Billie Jean King
“Tobia is bit of a transfeminine Nora Ephron, detailing the story of their ‘coming-of-gender’ in a way that is both honest and didactic.” 
—OUT Magazine
“[
Sissy] sends a powerful message about coming-of-age, trauma, healing, and self-acceptance.” 
—Cosmopolitan”Across this country young boys are shamed and humiliated for expressing femininity, as well as young girls for expressing masculinity. Jacob bravely seeks to end this culture of shame.”—
Monica Lewinsky
“A candid, unapologetic look at Tobia’s journey . . . 
Sissy is a valuable dispatch from a new generation of queer activists and artists — the first generation with the power to connect to themselves en masse without apology — and it would be a blessing if all such voices were as articulate and charismatic as this one.”
—Washington Post“Jacob Tobia is a force. . . . Their voice is unique and inspirational.” 
—Good Morning America“Tobia sashays away from all the expectations and trappings of what it means to be a man or woman, and calls for us to embrace the fluidity of identity.”
 —O, The Oprah Magazine“You