Sissy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Sissy (disambiguation).
Sissy (sometimes just Sis) is a relationship nickname formed from sister, given to girls to indicate their role in the family, especially the oldest female sibling. It can also be applied to girls as a term of affection from friends who are not family members.
For some girls and women, sissy is used so pervasively it replaces the given name. The actress Sissy Spacek, whose name is actually Mary Elizabeth, is a well-known person known as Sissy.
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[edit] Pejorative
Because of its origins in a feminine nickname, sissy is also a pejorative for a boy or man to indicate or imply that he is like a sister, that is, effeminate and fails to behave according to the traditional male gender role. Generally, it implies a lack of the courage and stoicism which are thought important to the male role. It might also imply interests seen as strikingly un-masculine. This pejorative may be given to anyone as an insult. Several variations, such as "sissy boy" or "sissy baby", exist and any term can become pejorative or insulting if preceded by sissy and applied to a boy or a man. Sissy is the male converse of tomboy, but has none of the latter's positive connotations. Even amongst gay men, behavior thought of as sissy or camp produces mixed reactions. Some men reclaim the term for themselves; see also genderqueer.
For some, sissy takes on more specific meanings in the transgender and infantilist communities.
[edit] Sissyphobia
Popularized by the title of book by Tim Bergling (ISBN 1-56023-989-1), sissyphobia refers to the fear or hatred of effeminate men, or "sissies." The term itself is an analogy to "homophobia."
Bergling argues that sissyphobia is common among American gay men, who often celebrate male femininity in some contexts (drag performance, for example) but who rarely consider it an attractive characteristic. Bergling points towards tropes now common in personal ads, including "straight acting," now a common term in Western gay newspapers. This is a marked contrast to much American lesbian culture, in which drag kings, FTMs and butch women are often "in demand." In fact, a significant number of Western gay men are hostile towards "sissies." Possible reasons may include a desire for gay men to assimilate and engrained sexism. Since many gay or queer men see effeminacy as an important cultural reference point (and because many queer people are feminists), it is troubling to some that gay and lesbian culture now place such a high premium on masculinity.
More broadly, some feminists (particularly male feminists) claim that "straight" Western society is "sissyphobic" or hostile towards effeminate men, and that in many areas mainstream acceptance of gays is contingent upon their conforming to male sex stereotypes.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Sissies @ glbtq: The Online Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture
