An anthology of more than 50 stories, memories, poems, ideas, essays and letters -- all examining what it looks like, feels like, and is like to inhabit masculinity outside of cisgendered manhood as people of color in the world. Read these passionate, complex autobiographical glimpses into the many layers of identity as the authors offer olive branches to old and new lovers. This anthology is designed to be uplifting, as it considers and explores our masculine identities as non cis-gendered males, or those traditionally born with the "XY" chromosome. It is a radical act of self-love and affirmation. Outside the XY is a labor of love.

Editor's note /Mo -- Introduction / Toshi Reagon -- Memory. -- The unseen boys / S. Kamran -- "Dear Ryann...Dear Ashley," / Ashley and Ryann Holmes -- Chicanada / Layel Camargo -- Days of awe / J. Tom`as -- Victoria Carmen White / Parker T Hurley -- Untitled / Maya Thompson -- Dear Tito / E. Armea -- Untitled / Lance Hicks -- island boi / J. Tomas -- Sacred heart / Liz Gauthier -- It happened in a doorway / S. Kamran -- Gender and the in between: a genderqueer's journey / Jaz Joyner -- I remember you / Mekhi Baldwin -- Tobacco / D'Lo -- Mirros/\srorriM -- Outside the XY, why not / Chino Hardin -- A whisper / Robin Cloud -- Body: heart + mind / Renee Vallejo -- For all of us / Melvin Whitehead -- To the college bois / Dr. Van Bailey -- BOI / Megan Benton (aka Emotions the Poet) -- Masculine of centre, seeks her refined femme / B. Cole -- Homebois don't write enough / Kay Ulanday Barrett -- Women who dare to be themselves: the creation of the Jerry Palmer Group of Detroit / Dr. Kofi Adoma -- The beginnings of bklyn boihood / Morgan Mann Willis -- Untitled / Mi Register -- Reflections of race, kinship and passing / L.G. Parker -- Beautiful, beautiful scars / Marcus Bethel -- Sex. -- On longing the fantastical / Kay Ulanday Barrett -- Stud slayer / Kai Brown -- A body worthy of desire / Sean Saifa Wall -- Beautiful tall boy / Ola Osaze -- Dying to be me / Royce Hall -- Untitled / Noel Will -- Ruminate / David von Horn -- Powa / Thokozane Minah -- Traitor/happy ending / M. Willis -- Movement. -- Questions and answers / Abena Opam -- The house I live in / Rexi Polixa -- Masculinity as phantasmagoria / T. Johnson -- Low visibility / Bani Amor -- The history channel / Mitch Kellaway -- Mother/\Earth. -- A conversation overheard. Between grandparents / S. Kamran -- Sounding it out / Eddie Maisonet -- Raising another man's baby / J. Handy -- Two spirit and gender spirituality / Fabian Romero -- Contractions / Matice Moore -- "Stageplay" / Nappy Nina -- Her ex-boyfriend / Lex Kennedy -- My name is dirt / Richael Faithful -- Healing. -- To my little golden boi. Baby Zahyr / Zahyr Lauren -- Bandages / J. Thomas -- I learned it from watching your: performing masculinity while unlearning patriarchy / Lynnée Denise -- Dear Baby Jasmine / Jazz Jordan -- Mismanaged masculinity or, "why I stayed" / Holiday Simmons -- Black bois queering / Eledeah Clack -- Brotherboy / Kay Clancy -- My back is strong: healing through black masculinity/femininity / Che Justus -- Navigating masculinity as a black transman: "I will never straighten out my wrist" / Dr. Kai Green -- Search for home / Akila Stewart -- Secrets of a brown boi / Cassandra Mendez -- An open letter to my public restroom gawkers / Dani Bundy -- Acknowledgements. -- About the authors.