Sissyboy Experience

Sissy! is a pejorative term used against boys and men who are perceived to have behaviors, interests, and traits outside the traditional male role (also referred to as gender nonconformity). Being called a sissy means that a boy or man is seen as behaving in an effeminate way. It is also used as a bullying tactic intended to induce shame. The terms fag, pansy, tranny, and queer may also be used to convey the same distain for gender-nonconforming males. Yet those labeled sissy may just be sweet boys who play with girls and don’t behave aggressively.

The gendered category of “sissy” exists because of the binary that forces people into two categories: male and female. This binary is based on a way of thinking about both ...