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 countercultural norms. Nobody Passes explores and critiques the various systems of power seen (or not seen) 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. Nobody Passes is a cutting edge exploration of the very topical issue of passing. First-person narratives, critical essays, conversations, and polemics skewer cultural norms to open space for those increasingly marginalized in a polarized political culture. From activism to academia, immigration to appropriation, disability culture to trans communities, this anthology challenges standards of authenticity and destroys notions of acceptability. 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.

Praise for Mattilda:

“ Startlingly bold and provocative.” —Howard Zinn

“ There’ s an emerging new wave of sex and gender revolutionaries. Mattilda has performed the Herculean task of gathering all my favorite smart, irreverent, talented, fierce, funny, and fabulous people together in one place. I can’ t wait to see what happens once That’ s Revolting has been out there for a while.” —Kate Bornstein

“ Dangerous Families is by turns brutal, raw, cathartic, and redemptive.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“ A gritty, provocative anthology that breaks all the rules about political correctness, gender, and sex.” —Laura Davis

“ Written entirely from the point of view of a class of workers who seldom get to speak for themselves, this collection illuminates the unique perspective they have in our culture.” —The Village Voice