Review of Stag Dance by Torrey Peters
This was one of the first novels by an out transperson released by one of the big publishing houses (Penguin Random House), and the novel was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction.
But before the publication of this novel, Peters was part of the erstwhile trans literary scene of Topside Press — an indie press publishing stories written by trans authors for trans readers — where she self-published two novellas. As she says in the podcast Between the Covers, the press created a 'Topside test' like the Bechdel test: was there literature where two trans people talked to each other about something other than their medical transition? Peters' interest was in writing about what trans people did in each other's company, rather than seeking empathy and acceptance from cisgender readers.
The four novellas of her new book, Stag Dance, emerge from this era and decade of Peters' life, written, as she says in the acknowledgement, 'to puzzle out, through genre, the inconvenient aspects of my never-ending transition — otherwise known as ongoing trans life'.
Experimenting with genres
The novellas are of different lengths and genres — horror, coming-of-age romance, a Western and a short story. In 'The Masker', a young sissy joins a trans meet-up in Las Vegas to cruise, befriended by an older transwoman, Sally, and pursued by a fetishist who wears latex masks. The story shows us the messy, uncomfortable social dynamics of sissy culture, cross-dressing and feminisation, exploring boundaries and taboos around sexuality, and the fears, vulnerability and insecurities that come with them.
In 'The Chaser', teenage roommates at a boys' boarding school get entangled in confused and lusty desire for one another, working out how to be boys or girls in a gendered world. Humans can no longer produce sex hormones in the post-apocalyptic science fiction story 'Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones', and are forced to choose their gender each time they inject themselves with hormones (in a transpocalypse).
Flawed people
In the titular novella, we meet a lonely hulk of a lumberjack, Babe Bunyan, who works and lives at an illegal logging operation in wintry Montana in the early 20th century. He wants to be courted as a woman in a ritual stag dance that takes place at the camp, where men can vie for the attention of other men by pinning a cloth triangle to their groins. Bunyan wishes to be courted as a woman, 'a desire unbidden by me... a desire that, without my desiring it to, made itself manifest', struggling with himself and ridiculed by others as he has a profoundly trans experience.
The stories in Stag Dance are astonishing in their range and craft, heartbreaking, provocative, acid and funny. They are full of flawed and intense human connections, and crackle with the possibilities of gender and performance.
Peters pushes the boundaries of what trans writing can mean, showing us how people try to understand who they are to themselves, and what they can become. It is a book that refuses to pigeonhole trans people, asking, if all of us could choose, what gender would we be?
The Mysuru-based writer and editor covers books, queerness, and mental health.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
British children's author Allan Ahlberg dies at 87
Image credits: X Allan Ahlberg, author of more than 150 children's books including classics such as "Eat Peach Pear Plum" and "The Jolly Postman", has died at the age of 87, said his publisher on Friday. Penguin Random House said that the author died on Tuesday, though it did not share a cause of death. Ahlberg introduced generations of children to reading through his books that included simple rhymes, sharp observation and gentle humour. Many of his works were co-created with his illustrator wife Janet Ahlberg, who died in 1994. Born in 1938 and raised by adoptive parents in a working-class home in Oldbury, central England, he worked as a "postman, plumber's mate and grave digger," according to his publisher, before becoming a teacher. He met his wife at a teacher training college, and their first book, "Here are the Brick Street Boys," was published in 1975. Then in 1977 came "Burglar Bill" about a burglar who steals a baby, and "Eat Peach Pear Plum" in 1978 with varied intricately-drawn nursery rhyme characters. The book won his wife the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration, one of the most prestigious awards in children's publishing. "The Jolly Christmas Postman" in 1991 got the same prize and incorporated postcards and letters in envelopes for children to engage with while the latter-carrier delivering mail to fairy tale characters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Iraq: Jewelry On Sale For Half Price (See Price List) Jewelry | Search Ads Learn More Undo Image credits: X Ahlberg also wrote books of jokes, including "The Ha Ha Bonk Book", and poetry for primary school-age children, such as "Please Mrs. Butler" and "Heard it in the Playground." For adults, he wrote two autobiographies: 'The Boyhood of Burglar Bill' and 'The Bucket,' and a tribute to his wife, "Janet's Last Book." After the death of his wife, Ahlberg worked with illustrators including Raymond Briggs and his daughter Jessica Ahlberg. Francesca Dow, head of children's literature at Penguin Random House, said the author's books have been described as "mini masterpieces." 'He knew that making it perfect for children matters, and above all that the very best stories for children last forever,' Dow said. 'Allan's are some of the very best – true classics, which will be loved by children and families for years to come.' Ahlberg is survived by his second wife, Vanessa Clarke, his daughter and two stepdaughters.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Beloved children's author Allan Ahlberg dies at 87
This undated photo supplied by Penguin Random House shows British author Allan Ahlberg, who has died at the age of 87. This undated photo supplied by Penguin Random House shows British author Allan Ahlberg, who has died at the age of 87. (Penguin Random House via AP) LONDON: British writer Allan Ahlberg, author of more than 150 children's books including classics like 'Eat Peach Pear Plum' and 'The Jolly Postman,' has died, his publisher said Friday. He was 87. Penguin Random House said Ahlberg died on Tuesday. It did not give a cause of death. Ahlberg's books introduced generations of young children to reading through simple rhymes, sharp observation and gentle humor. Many were co-created with his illustrator wife Janet Ahlberg, who died in 1994. 'Peepo!' (1981) gave a baby's-eye-view of the world and was interactive in a delightfully analogue way, with peep-holes in the pages to spy the next scenes. 'The Jolly Postman' (1986) was even more inventive, incorporating postcards and letters in envelopes for children to engage with while they followed a letter-carrier delivering mail to fairy tale characters. Penguin Random House said it 'pushed at the boundaries of what it is possible for a book to be.' Ahlberg also wrote books of jokes, including 'The Ha Ha Bonk Book,' and poetry for primary school-age children, including 'Please Mrs. Butler' and 'Heard it in the Playground.' Born in 1938 and raised by adoptive parents in a working-class home in OIdbury, central England, Ahlberg worked as a 'postman, plumber's mate and grave digger,' according to his publisher, before becoming a teacher. He met Janet at teacher training college and the couple's first book, 'Here are the Brick Street Boys,' was published in 1975.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Review of Stag Dance by Torrey Peters
Torrey Peters came into the spotlight with the tender and entertaining debut novel Detransition Baby (2021), in which three people — cis and trans — consider being parents in a queer domestic arrangement. This was one of the first novels by an out transperson released by one of the big publishing houses (Penguin Random House), and the novel was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction. But before the publication of this novel, Peters was part of the erstwhile trans literary scene of Topside Press — an indie press publishing stories written by trans authors for trans readers — where she self-published two novellas. As she says in the podcast Between the Covers, the press created a 'Topside test' like the Bechdel test: was there literature where two trans people talked to each other about something other than their medical transition? Peters' interest was in writing about what trans people did in each other's company, rather than seeking empathy and acceptance from cisgender readers. The four novellas of her new book, Stag Dance, emerge from this era and decade of Peters' life, written, as she says in the acknowledgement, 'to puzzle out, through genre, the inconvenient aspects of my never-ending transition — otherwise known as ongoing trans life'. Experimenting with genres The novellas are of different lengths and genres — horror, coming-of-age romance, a Western and a short story. In 'The Masker', a young sissy joins a trans meet-up in Las Vegas to cruise, befriended by an older transwoman, Sally, and pursued by a fetishist who wears latex masks. The story shows us the messy, uncomfortable social dynamics of sissy culture, cross-dressing and feminisation, exploring boundaries and taboos around sexuality, and the fears, vulnerability and insecurities that come with them. In 'The Chaser', teenage roommates at a boys' boarding school get entangled in confused and lusty desire for one another, working out how to be boys or girls in a gendered world. Humans can no longer produce sex hormones in the post-apocalyptic science fiction story 'Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones', and are forced to choose their gender each time they inject themselves with hormones (in a transpocalypse). Flawed people In the titular novella, we meet a lonely hulk of a lumberjack, Babe Bunyan, who works and lives at an illegal logging operation in wintry Montana in the early 20th century. He wants to be courted as a woman in a ritual stag dance that takes place at the camp, where men can vie for the attention of other men by pinning a cloth triangle to their groins. Bunyan wishes to be courted as a woman, 'a desire unbidden by me... a desire that, without my desiring it to, made itself manifest', struggling with himself and ridiculed by others as he has a profoundly trans experience. The stories in Stag Dance are astonishing in their range and craft, heartbreaking, provocative, acid and funny. They are full of flawed and intense human connections, and crackle with the possibilities of gender and performance. Peters pushes the boundaries of what trans writing can mean, showing us how people try to understand who they are to themselves, and what they can become. It is a book that refuses to pigeonhole trans people, asking, if all of us could choose, what gender would we be? The Mysuru-based writer and editor covers books, queerness, and mental health.
