Sissy Insurgencies: A Racial Anatomy of Unfit Manliness

Marlon B. Ross' book "Sissy Insurgencies" explores the historical and cultural significance of sissiness, challenging traditional notions of gender and sexuality. He reconsiders black leaders, intellectuals, musicians, and athletes within the context of sissiness, demonstrating how it can be embraced and exploited to conform to American gender norms or disrupt racialized patriarchy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 456 pages
Publication date: 28 January 2022
Publisher: Duke University Press

Marlon B. Ross delves into the enigmatic concept of the sissy in his book, Sissy Insurgencies, to challenge and redefine the prevailing notions of manhood and boyhood in American society from the 1880s to the present. Rather than reducing sissiness to homosexuality, Ross presents a comprehensive understanding of sissiness as a multifaceted and historically fluid range of gender practices. These practices manifest as physical expressions, discursive epithets, social identities, and political phenomena. By examining the lives of various black leaders, intellectuals, musicians, and athletes, such as Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, James Baldwin, Little Richard, Amiri Baraka, and Wilt Chamberlain, Ross demonstrates how sissiness can be embraced and exploited to conform to American gender norms or disrupt racialized patriarchy.

Ross explores various aspects of sissiness, including Washington's practice of cleaning as an iteration of sissiness, Baldwin's self-fashioned sissy deportment, and the prevalence of sissiphobia in professional sports and black nationalism. Through his insightful analysis, Ross demonstrates that sissiness can serve as a powerful tool for subversion and resistance, challenging the rigid gender and racial hierarchies that have shaped American society.

In conclusion, Sissy Insurgencies by Marlon B. Ross is a groundbreaking work that offers a fresh perspective on the history and significance of sissiness in American culture. By expanding the definition of gender practices and exploring the lives of black leaders and intellectuals who have embraced sissiness, Ross challenges the dominant narratives of manhood and boyhood. His book contributes to our understanding of race and gender in contemporary society and provides valuable insights into the ways in which individuals can challenge and transform societal norms.

Weight: 662g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478017837