Outside the XY by Morgan Mann Willis

Book set in Brooklyn, United States. Reviewed on 2019/06: https://www.instagram.com/p/BzB63I1ABnW/

“This anthology is an offering. In it we share ourselves as humans, as queer bois, studs, butch babies, transmen, aggressives, tombois, the intersexed, gay, non-cisgendered men, brotherboys, women, machas, butches, lesbian, femmeboi, unlabeled, ungendered and unboxed. We are a collection of people whose voices and reflections are stories that commemorate the human experience through the delicate lens of self-affirmation and honest reflection. Outside the XY is a quilt. These stitched together pieces span the range of time and space; contributors to this collection are black and brown… Masculinity is NOT the thread that connects our work. We are joined in our journey of re-learning that masculinity is not defined by men, or by patriarchy, or television, or its apparent need to consume and produce violence. Masculinity is an umbrella in the sky of identity. Some of us live underneath its vastness centrally. Our relationship with and in masculinity is not rooted in any singular desire – aesthetic or sexual. We know that who we are simply IS and requires no explanation. If you are looking for answers you may or may not find any here – this collection is sewn together by the struggle and progress of simply being alive.” What can I possible add to this outstanding introduction by the one and only #morganmannwillis ? If you want to read stories that closely resemble the true and rebel spirit of #stonewall , I can’t recommend #outsidethexy highly enough. This book hits the source of our pains and struggles and project it all into an endless feeling of resilience and never backing up. I also think that this book and my next one: #stonebutchblues by #feinberg have to be read urgently by white gay men and anyone else in this country drunk with passing, drunk with belonging to groups and centers of power which have historically and continues to single and discard people for who they are. Either this path of #liberation includes everyone in our spectrum or it falls apart inevitably under the fragility of a make-believe, a façade. Urgent and powerful read! #highlyrecommended #genderqueerlit#bklynboihood #riverdalavenuebooks#toshireagon#queerblackandbrownmasculinity