voluntary madness lost and found in the mental healthcare system

Yes, she lived in a monastery, for months, posing effectively as a man.Īs a feminist who was taught in gender studies classes (which she noted were all populated and taught by militant feminists) that men were evil and misogynistic, the experience was eye-opening for her. Most interestingly, she spent several months as a Catholic monk within a cloister. After this experience she has an actual mental breakdown. She also attended male-therapy session (they were in-style in the 90's when the reporting took place) where men, bereaved by divorce and unable to fit into a modern world that rejects most forms of masculinity, strove to find themselves again. And she took on a testosterone-fueled door-to-door sales job. She tried to pick up women at a bar, as a man and was baffled and hurt by the constant stream of rejection so many man are accustomed to. She visited strip clubs as a man, which she found, even for men, to be a generally sad and detestable experience. Her next experiences were in the realm of dating and working as a man. Vincent marvelled at the significance attached to something as simple as a handshake, which she remarked was, 'worlds away from the 'fake and cold' air kisses and limp handshakes exchanged by women'

As a man who was convincing, though still effeminate, she was very out of place among the tough, middle-aged, blue collar workers on her team. However, she quickly was amazed at the differences between men in women in how they compete (and don't compete with each other). As Ned, she explored many different aspects of male culture. Curiosity drove her to adopt the persona of Ned. Vincent was shocked at how differently she was treated by both men and women as she went about her night out. The study was prompted by a night in drag with a lesbian friend. The book follows lesbian journalist Norah Vincent, who for a year and a half, lived disguised as a man.

objectifies women reminded me of a book I read a long time ago: Self-Made Man: One Woman's Year Disguised as a Man, by Norah Vincent. All this talk about the Victoria's Secret fashion show and the annual argument about whether V.S.

Voluntary madness lost and found in the mental healthcare system