This book investigates the cultural representation and social reality of women who adopted male identities in modern Britain. Alison Oram, a historian specializing in gender and sexuality, utilizes a wide array of archival materials, including newspaper reports, legal documents, and popular media accounts, to analyze how gender-crossing was perceived and constructed by the public. She argues that these narratives were not merely anomalies but served as critical sites for negotiating the boundaries of femininity and masculinity in the twentieth century.

Scholars in the field of gender history recognize this work as a significant contribution to the understanding of non-normative gender expression in the modern era. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the research and the clarity with which Oram navigates complex social histories.