| Revision as of 05:55, 9 May 2015 editFlyer22 Frozen (talk | contribs)365,630 editsm Another WP:Dummy edit: For others, see User talk:Flyer22#tomboy reversion for further detail.← Previous edit | Revision as of 21:58, 9 May 2015 edit undo70.66.0.179 (talk) I amended the definition at the top of the page to include a write up by Mighty Girl (posted to Facebook) because a girl's personality traits shouldn't be defined by whether she is acting like a "girl" or a "boy" - girls are girls, no matter how they act.Next edit → | ||
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| A '''tomboy''' is a ] who exhibits ] considered typical of a ],<ref> in the ]</ref><ref name="Bailey">, '']'', '']'', Volume 31, Number 4</ref> including wearing ] clothing and engaging in games and activities that are physical in nature and are considered in many cultures to be "]" or the domain of boys.<ref name="Bailey"/> ''Tomboy'', according to the '']'' (''OED''), "has been connected with connotations of rudeness and impropriety" throughout its use.<ref name=ELHAC/> | A '''tomboy''' is a ] who exhibits ] considered typical of a ],<ref> in the ]</ref><ref name="Bailey">, '']'', '']'', Volume 31, Number 4</ref> including wearing ] clothing and engaging in games and activities that are physical in nature and are considered in many cultures to be "]" or the domain of boys.<ref name="Bailey"/> ''Tomboy'', according to the '']'' (''OED''), "has been connected with connotations of rudeness and impropriety" throughout its use.<ref name=ELHAC/> | ||
| BUT ACTUALLY... | |||
| Some girls climb trees.<br> | |||
| Some girls wear dresses.<br> | |||
| Some girls climb trees while wearing dresses.<br> | |||
| Don't define people by how they play and don't call girls boys (or boys, girls.)<br> | |||
| If you want to paint your nails and then jump in the mud, go for it.<br> | |||
| If you want to pull your hair in a ponytail and eat a cheeseburger, do it.<br> | |||
| If you want to collect bugs, talk to them, name them, and set them free, be my guest.<br> | |||
| Do all of these things and know that you are a girl. Don't do any of them and know that you are a girl.<br> | |||
| Be yourself.<br> | |||
| Wear lipstick, play soccer, have friends that are girls, have friends that are boys, eat bacon...or salad, watch romantic comedies or action movies, wear pink or wear blue.<br> | |||
| None of it matters.<br> | |||
| You. Are. A. Girl.<br> | |||
| NOT...a tomboy.<br> | |||
| A girl."<br> | |||
| To read more from Sharon Suchoval, check out her blog Advice for My Daughter at http://www.adviceformydaughter.com/<br> | |||
| For a wonderful picture book that features a diverse array of princesses -- wearing clothing of every color in the rainbow -- taking part in a wide range of activities including climbing trees, playing sports, stomping in mud puddles, and driving dump trucks, check out “Not All Princesses Dress in Pink," for ages 4 to 8 at http://www.amightygirl.com/not-all-princesses-dress-in-pink<br> | |||
| For books for children and teens that celebrate Mighty Girls' multifaceted interests, visit our "Individuality" section at http://www.amightygirl.com/boo…/personal-development/values…<br> | |||
| To introduce young readers to real-life and fictional girls who refuse to be limited by gender stereotypes, check out our "Mighty Girls" book section at http://www.amightygirl.com/books/mighty-girls-women?cat=287<br> | |||
| And, for a recently released parenting book that explores how to raise kids free of gender stereotypes, check out "Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue" at http://www.amightygirl.com/parenting-beyond-pink-and-blue<br> | |||
| ==History and society== | ==History and society== | ||
| The ''OED'' dates the first use of the term ''tomboy'' to 1592,<ref name=ELHAC/> but an earlier use is recorded in '']'', which is believed to date from 1553, and was published in 1567. Gender scholar ] states that while the defying of gender roles is often tolerated in young girls, ] girls who display masculine traits are often repressed or punished.<ref>]: ''Female Masculinity'', Durham: Duke University Press, 1998.</ref> However, the ubiquity of traditionally female clothing, such as dresses, blouses and skirts, has declined among the ] where it is generally no longer considered a male trait if such clothing is not worn by girls and women. An increase in the popularity of women's sporting events (see ]) and other activities that were traditionally male-dominated has broadened tolerance and lessened the impact of ''tomboy'' as a ] term.<ref name="Bailey"/> Instead, as sociologist ] suggested some "adult women tell with a hint of pride as if to suggest: I was (and am) independent and active; I held (and hold) my own with boys and men and have earned their respect and friendship; I resisted (and continue to resist) gender stereotypes."<ref>{{Cite book|title = Gender play: boys and girls in school|last = Thorne|first = Barrie|publisher = Rutgers University Press|year = 1993|isbn = 0-8135-1923-3|location = |pages = 114}}</ref> | The ''OED'' dates the first use of the term ''tomboy'' to 1592,<ref name=ELHAC/> but an earlier use is recorded in '']'', which is believed to date from 1553, and was published in 1567. Gender scholar ] states that while the defying of gender roles is often tolerated in young girls, ] girls who display masculine traits are often repressed or punished.<ref>]: ''Female Masculinity'', Durham: Duke University Press, 1998.</ref> However, the ubiquity of traditionally female clothing, such as dresses, blouses and skirts, has declined among the ] where it is generally no longer considered a male trait if such clothing is not worn by girls and women. An increase in the popularity of women's sporting events (see ]) and other activities that were traditionally male-dominated has broadened tolerance and lessened the impact of ''tomboy'' as a ] term.<ref name="Bailey"/> Instead, as sociologist ] suggested some "adult women tell with a hint of pride as if to suggest: I was (and am) independent and active; I held (and hold) my own with boys and men and have earned their respect and friendship; I resisted (and continue to resist) gender stereotypes."<ref>{{Cite book|title = Gender play: boys and girls in school|last = Thorne|first = Barrie|publisher = Rutgers University Press|year = 1993|isbn = 0-8135-1923-3|location = |pages = 114}}</ref> | ||
Revision as of 21:58, 9 May 2015
This article is about the type of girl. For other uses, see Tomboy (disambiguation).
A tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of a boy, including wearing masculine clothing and engaging in games and activities that are physical in nature and are considered in many cultures to be "unfeminine" or the domain of boys. Tomboy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), "has been connected with connotations of rudeness and impropriety" throughout its use.
BUT ACTUALLY...
Some girls climb trees.
Some girls wear dresses.
Some girls climb trees while wearing dresses.
Don't define people by how they play and don't call girls boys (or boys, girls.)
If you want to paint your nails and then jump in the mud, go for it.
If you want to pull your hair in a ponytail and eat a cheeseburger, do it.
If you want to collect bugs, talk to them, name them, and set them free, be my guest.
Do all of these things and know that you are a girl. Don't do any of them and know that you are a girl.
Be yourself.
Wear lipstick, play soccer, have friends that are girls, have friends that are boys, eat bacon...or salad, watch romantic comedies or action movies, wear pink or wear blue.
None of it matters.
You. Are. A. Girl.
NOT...a tomboy.
A girl."
To read more from Sharon Suchoval, check out her blog Advice for My Daughter at http://www.adviceformydaughter.com/
For a wonderful picture book that features a diverse array of princesses -- wearing clothing of every color in the rainbow -- taking part in a wide range of activities including climbing trees, playing sports, stomping in mud puddles, and driving dump trucks, check out “Not All Princesses Dress in Pink," for ages 4 to 8 at http://www.amightygirl.com/not-all-princesses-dress-in-pink
For books for children and teens that celebrate Mighty Girls' multifaceted interests, visit our "Individuality" section at http://www.amightygirl.com/boo…/personal-development/values…
To introduce young readers to real-life and fictional girls who refuse to be limited by gender stereotypes, check out our "Mighty Girls" book section at http://www.amightygirl.com/books/mighty-girls-women?cat=287
And, for a recently released parenting book that explores how to raise kids free of gender stereotypes, check out "Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue" at http://www.amightygirl.com/parenting-beyond-pink-and-blue
History and society
The OED dates the first use of the term tomboy to 1592, but an earlier use is recorded in Ralph Roister Doister, which is believed to date from 1553, and was published in 1567. Gender scholar Judith Halberstam states that while the defying of gender roles is often tolerated in young girls, adolescent girls who display masculine traits are often repressed or punished. However, the ubiquity of traditionally female clothing, such as dresses, blouses and skirts, has declined among the Western world where it is generally no longer considered a male trait if such clothing is not worn by girls and women. An increase in the popularity of women's sporting events (see Title IX) and other activities that were traditionally male-dominated has broadened tolerance and lessened the impact of tomboy as a pejorative term. Instead, as sociologist Barrie Thorne suggested some "adult women tell with a hint of pride as if to suggest: I was (and am) independent and active; I held (and hold) my own with boys and men and have earned their respect and friendship; I resisted (and continue to resist) gender stereotypes."
Throughout history, there has been a perceived correlation between tomboyishness and lesbianism. For instance, Hollywood films would stereotype the adult tomboy as a "predatory butch dyke". Lynne Yamaguchi and Karen Barber, editors of Tomboys!, argue that "tomboyhood is much more than a phase for many lesbians," it "seems to remain a part of the foundation of who we are as adults". Many contributors to Tomboys! linked their self-identification as tomboys and lesbians to both labels positioning them outside "cultural and gender boundaries". However, while some tomboys later reveal a lesbian identity in their adolescent or adult years, behavior typical of boys but displayed by girls is not a true indicator of one's sexual orientation.
General studies
There have been few studies of the causality of women's behavior and interests, when they do not match the female gender role. One report from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children suggests that preschool girls engaging in "masculine-typical" gender-role behavior, such as playing with toys typically preferred by boys, is influenced by genetic and prenatal factors. Tomboys have also been noted to demonstrate a stronger interest in science and technology.
Fiction
Main article: List of tomboys in fictionSee also
References
- Tomboy in the Online Etymology Dictionary
- ^ Who Are Tomboys and Why Should We Study Them?, SpringerLink, Archives of Sexual Behavior, Volume 31, Number 4
- ^ Brown, Jayne Relaford (1999). "Tomboy". In B. Zimmerman (ed.). Encyclopedia of Lesbian Histories and Cultures. Routledge. pp. 771–772. ISBN 0815319207. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
The word also has a history of sexual, even lesbian, connotations. The connection between tomboyism and lesbianism continued, in a more positive way, as a frequent theme in twentieth-century lesbian literature and nonfiction coming out stories.
- Halberstam, Judith: Female Masculinity, Durham: Duke University Press, 1998.
- Thorne, Barrie (1993). Gender play: boys and girls in school. Rutgers University Press. p. 114. ISBN 0-8135-1923-3.
- ^ Halberstam, Judith (1998). Female Masculinity. Duke University Press. pp. 193–196. ISBN 0822322439.
Hollywood film offers us a vision of the adult tomboy as the predatory butch dyke: in this particular category, we find some of the best and worst of Hollywood stereotyping.
- Yamaguchi, Lynne and Karen Barber, ed. (1995). Tomboys! Tales of Dyke Derring-Do. Los Angeles: Alysson.
- Gabriel Phillips and Ray Over (1995). "Differences between heterosexual, bisexual, and lesbian women in recalled childhood experiences". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 24 (1): 1–20. doi:10.1007/BF01541985.
{{cite journal}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Hines, Melissa; Golombok, Susan; Rust, John; Johnston, Katie J.; Golding, Jean; Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Study Team (1 November 2002). "Testosterone during Pregnancy and Gender Role Behavior of Preschool Children: A Longitudinal, Population Study". Child Development. 73 (6): 1678–1687. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00498.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External links
- Tomboys and sissies: Androgynous children?
- Tomboys! Feisty Girls and Spirited Women A film by Julie Akeret and Christian McEwen