TOMBOY

An analysis of girls who identify as “tomboys” and how the designation has changed over time.

For decades, girls who had short hair, preferred to wear pants rather than dresses, and liked to do “boy” things like climb trees or play sports were often called “tomboys,” a term that disappeared once the girl reached puberty and “outgrew” it. Though the name is still widely used, journalist and essayist Davis, who has contributed to the New York Times, the Guardian, and other publications, explores the (in)adequacy of the word to cover the spectrum of gender and sexual identities finding expression today. In this meandering journey through the history and current state of “tomboyism,” some of the author’s pressing concerns include the pinkification of everything remotely feminine and the extreme boy-girl separation of toys and children’s products based on algorithms that instantly promote specific items tailored by gender. Davis scrutinizes the area surrounding gender identity vs. sexuality, especially in the chapter titled “War of the Words: Tomboy or Trans Boy?” She also considers the role of socio-economic status in the application of many of these designations. In addition to citing research into a variety of relevant topics, Davis includes personal stories of women who were considered tomboys as children who have since been able to find a comfortable place on the wide spectrum that exists today. “I think it’s important for parents, and kids,” she writes, “to understand how sex, gender, and sexuality have been understood in different eras, to see that the way we are experiencing and understanding them now is part of the evolution, and that we’ve still got so much more to learn.” There is still much to learn, and though Davis could have gone more in-depth in some areas, readers will find this a good place to start their education.

An informative jumping-off point for further investigation.