Gender Studies: True Confessions of an Accidental Outlaw is an Ignatz nominee by Ajuan Mance tells real-life stories through the use of comic strip visuals. The book breaks down gender identity and how Mance became comfortable with embracing her masculinity. It’s a collection of situational conversations between the author and others that depict some of the ways she came to realize she was different than the average feminine woman.
One of her earlier dilemmas was fairly relatable as it discusses being a girl who is into boyish things such as sports. She details how she found herself to have a lot in common with men and how it was more easygoing for her. From grabbing a beer and catching an NBA game to falling in love with men’s style, she found herself being the cool girl that guys could befriend. In the ’80s, women indulging in beer and football was not as common as it is today. The days of a wife being present only to serve their man appetizers and drinks as they host the Sunday night game are long. The women are now suited in their favorite team’s jersey and cursing at the TV when their team throws an interception. These are the times that Mance would be proud to see, as she once walked so we could run.
Mance says, “When you’re living beyond the gender binary, sometimes the way forward can feel a little bit murky… while the people around you seem to tread more or less comfortably along the well-worn, well-lit paths of tradition and conformity, mostly though, you’re on you own.” She accurately describes the feeling of navigating unknown territory when it comes to trying to figure yourself out.
Whether it’s your sexuality or what pronouns you want to use, times have changed for the better as we now live with “woke” culture. Mance touches on how things were as simple in her time and introduces us to a character named Tiffany Banks. She tells us how even at the young age of seven, she knew something was different about Tiffany. Although having a feminine name, she was very popular with the guys in a homeboy-type way. They all thought she was so cool and would often pick her first when playing kickball as they treated Tiffany like she was one of her own. Mance found herself wanting to be like her as well, trying to throw a ball the way she did and even went as far as convincing her mom to take her shopping for similar clothing.
One of the stand-out conversations in Gender Studies is Mance detailing her experience with hot combs and straight hair. She tells how straight hair was seen as some sort of elevated feminine trait and often came with strict rules to follow to maintain it (most centered around avoiding water and humidity). She says, “Getting your hair straightened for the first time was like being inducted into a Black woman’s secret society.” She goes on to discuss how she wasn’t a fan of the process, saying, “I tolerated the elaborate procedure… it was apparently one of the things you had to do to your body in order to be in the world.” These days, things are much different as Black women prefer to preserve the health of their hair by resorting to perms or sew-in weaves to avoid heat damage. Mance ultimately ended up cutting her hair down to a fro as a sentimental move as she recalls how she finally recognized herself for the first time.
Gender Studies is a fun and unique way of examining some of the complex ways the world views identity through one woman’s life experiences. The book takes a different approach to tackle storytelling through its use of blurbs and detailed drawings. It keeps you invested in the author’s struggles on her path to finding herself, thus making you proud when she embraces herself rather than conforming to the norm. Her breakdown of trying to decipher if she was attracted to men or just masculinity overall is a message that more should read as it could help people discover their true gender identity and sexuality.
Her section towards the end called “Check All That Apply” is worthy of a separate piece all on its own for the way it takes a singular topic and makes is comical in a matter of only three comic strip boxes. Overall, Mance’s style of telling her story is worthy of a read, especially for Black women struggling to find out where they fit in the world. Everyone’s path is different, but Gender Studies can help you see that you are not alone in this world full of people just trying to figure out who they truly are. I really hope Mance keeps up this series and releases other titles with a similar visual approach.