Nobody Passes Rejecting the Rules of Gender and Conformity

Nobody Passes is a collection of essays that confronts and challenges the very notion of belonging. By examining the perilous intersections of identity, categorization and community, contributors challenge societal mores and counter-cultural norms. Nobody Passes explores and critiques the various systems of power seen (or unseen) in the act of "passing." In a pass-fail situation, standards for acceptance may vary, but somebody always gets trampled on. This anthology seeks to eliminate the pressure to pass and thereby unearth the delicious and devastating opportunities for transformation that might create. Mattilda, aka Matt Bernstein Sycamore, has a history of editing anthologies based on brazen nonconformity and gender defiance. Mattilda sets out to ask the question, "What lies are people forced to tell in order to gain acceptance as 'real?'" The answers are as varied as the life experiences of the writers who tackle this urgent and essential topic. Contributors include Kirk Read, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Jennifer Blowdryer, Jessica Hoffman, Dean Spade, Nikki Lee Diamond, Liz Rosenfeld, and more.