Sisterhood: Ate (an eBook manuscript teaser)

Sisterhood: Ate is a teaser of my work-in-progress memoir. This excerpt explores the intersections of race, gender, class, and sexuality in the context of my experiences with Lorelei Lee in her writing workshops and as a BDSM scene partner at Kink.com. Your purchase of this teaser will go towards my living expenses while I finish Sisterhood and make the transition (from performer to writer, from woman to man, from San Francisco to New York City) to a life I've always dreamed of. I write with the intention of inspiring folks who feel bogged down by marginalization, to encourage them to make the changes and risks they need to make in order to embody the realest versions of themselves, and to seek a healthy and loving community to support them in this crazy mess we call life.

Ate (pronounced ah-TEH) is a Tagalog word for "older sister," an identifier I'm proud to call Lorelei Lee, a writer, porn performer, director, and teacher. Ate is a title meant to honor the sisters who came before us, those who are kin. In people of color and church communities, to be a sister is to be someone's darling, dear to one's heart. Being a sister can also mean being queer, being a feminist, being chosen family. In my heart, Lorelei Lee is all of these things. Lorelei paved the way for me to feel free in my gender and sexual expression and unlocked a world in literature for me so full of diversity and self-reflection. Her influence in my life helped wake me to my most authentic self. I hope you enjoy this excerpt, and that you'll email me with feedback at milcahorbacedo@gmail.com.