big sissy

1. A diminutive form of "big sister". "Big sissy" was originally an affectionate title given to a girl by her parents, as a way of fostering a bond between an older sister and a younger sister or baby brother. Such a title would rarely last beyond the younger child gaining the ability to form complete sentences. 2. A defenseless coward. Bullies, and other sorts of troublemakers, used it as a taunt. If a child threatened to tell on them, the older boys teased the child, asking "You gonna go get your daddy? You gonna go get your mommy?" This line of questioning inevitably would end with "You gonna go get ... BIG SISSY?" This would elicit roars of laughter. Referencing "big sissy" not only named the least formidable ally that a child might call to aid them, it also implied that the child was either a small girl, or an even smaller boy, with a sister that was only slightly older. Younger boys, especially those without sisters, would be confused as to what a "big sissy" was, although given the context, it was clear that bravery and fighting prowess were not traits that "big sissies" possessed. Thus, it became a general insult to a colleague's fighting ability and bravery. 3. (Often just "sissy" or "sissy girl") An adult crossdresser who prefers wearing oversized versions of clothing worn by prepubescent girls, with a preference for what a girl might be forced by her mother to wear to Easter services, or have been worn by the more wealthy American Girls dolls.