Self-Made Man (book)

Self-Made Man
Author Norah Vincent
Country United States
Language English
Subject Sexual discrimination
Publication date
 2006

Self-Made Man: My Year Disguised as a Man is a book written by journalist Norah Vincent, recounting an 18-month experiment in which she disguised herself as a man—"Ned"—and then integrated into traditionally male-only venues, such as a bowling league and a monastery. She described this as "a human project" about learning.

In the book, she describes her experiences as a man in strip clubs, on dates, in a monastery, and as part of a men's support group.[1][2][3]

In order to effectively pose as a male, Vincent acquired a buzz cut and flattened her chest using a small sports bra. She also hired a makeup artist to fake a five o'clock shadow and trained for months to imitate a deeper male voice.

Vincent joined a men's bowling team, where she says "[the men] just took me in ... no questions asked." She eventually became friends with them, even coming along to strip clubs and dating women who had no idea of her true gender. She later revealed that she was actually female to the men, who "took it well."[4]

Vincent also recorded her book as a audiobook for Penguin Highbridge.[5]

Vincent writes about how the only time she has ever been considered excessively feminine was during her stint as a man: her alter ego, Ned, was assumed to be gay on several occasions, and features which in her as a woman had been seen as "butch" became oddly effeminate when seen in a man. Vincent asserts that, since the experiment, she has never been more glad to be female.[2][3]

References

  1. ↑ The Guardian - Double Agent
  2. 1 2 Chang, JuJu (2006-01-20). "A Self-Made Man: Woman Goes Undercover to Experience Life as a man". 20/20. United States: ABC news. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  3. 1 2 Chang, JuJu (2006-01-20). "A Self-Made Man: Woman Goes Undercover to Experience Life as a man (video)". 20/20. United States: ABC news. Archived from the original on 2013-11-17. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  4. ↑ Self-made Man: My Year Disguised as a Man ISBN 0-670-03466-5
  5. ↑ Self Made Man Penguin Highbridge (Audio) (January 19, 2006) ISBN 978-0786564088


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