Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story - Jacob Tobia

Jacob Tobia’s Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story is a funny, candid and deeply personal memoir about growing up gender-nonconforming and gradually finding a sense of identity and self-acceptance. Tobia looks back on childhood in North Carolina, where an enthusiasm for Barbies, princess dresses and all things feminine led to being labelled a “sissy” and experiencing bullying, isolation and shame.

The memoir follows Tobia through adolescence and university, coming out, relationships with family and religion, beauty pageants, and eventually their work as a prominent advocate for gender nonconformity. Along the way, Sissy moves between painful experiences and sharp humour, examining gender expectations, sexuality, trauma, healing and the process of learning to embrace the things that once made them feel different.

A lively and often hilarious coming-of-age memoir that mixes personal history with reflections on gender, identity and self-acceptance. The book includes chapters covering Tobia’s childhood, university years, coming out, gender identity and advocacy, followed by an epilogue and a conversation with the author.