Norah Vincent, author of the acclaimed book “Self-Made Man: One Woman’s Journey into Manhood and Back,” is coming to the University on Tuesday.
The Union Program Council Ideas and Issues Committee scheduled Vincent, a former nationally syndicated political columnist with the Los Angeles Times, to speak at a presentation April 25 at 7 p.m. in the Union Royal Cotillion Ballroom.
Vincent left her job with the LA Times in 2003 to work on “Self-Made Man,” which was published Jan. 20. The book takes an introspective look at the male psyche and was on the New York Times Best-Seller List for two weeks, peaking at No. 12.
“I wanted to enter males’ spheres of interest and – see how men are with each other,” Vincent told ABC’s 20/20 on Jan. 20. “I wanted to make friends with men. I wanted to know how male friendships work from the inside out.”
Vincent transformed into a man named “Ned” by using a concealing sports bra, special makeup, a crew-cut and men’s clothing. She also took vocal lessons at the Juilliard School to learn how to speak like a man.
For 18 months “Ned Vincent” dated women, joined a men’s bowling league and attended strip clubs.
“This wasn’t just a stunt,” Vincent said. “This was about learning. This is a human project. It was about finding something out about the human creature. And I learned it the best possible way because I went through it.”
Vincent was a weekly columnist for the LA Times and also wrote for the national gay and lesbian newsmagazine, The Advocate. Her work has appeared in papers across the country, including The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun and the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
 
Contact Parker Wishik at [email protected]