Norah Vincent (1968–2022) was a journalist and writer best known for Self-Made Man (2006). In the early 2000s, she spent about 18 months living and presenting as a man as part of a journalistic project, then wrote about the experience in that book. I haven't read it myself yet and only recently learned about her.

She also wrote Voluntary Madness (2008), which focused on her experiences with mental illness and time spent in psychiatric institutions. Vincent struggled with depression and other mental health issues for much of her life, and she ultimately died by assisted suicide in 2022.

Many of her views on gender and transgender identity would be considered controversial today. She was critical of transgender ideology and did not believe that gender identity determined whether someone was a man or a woman.

The reason I became aware of her was through posts and videos arguing that her eventual death was somehow connected to trauma she experienced while living as a man for Self-Made Man. That explanation seems too simplistic. She appears to have struggled with serious mental health issues long before and long after that project.

Regardless of where people stand on her views, I find her story interesting and somewhat tragic. As someone who has dealt with depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts myself, I can't take any satisfaction in how her life ended.

I'm curious:

  • Have you read Self-Made Man or Voluntary Madness?
  • What did you think of them?
  • Do you think Self-Made Man still has value in today's discussions about gender and social expectations?
  • How accurate do you think the common narratives about Vincent's life and death are?