Where Have All the Tomboys Gone?

Childhood

When I remember my childhood, I remember scraped knees and racing to keep up with my brother and his friends. I remember superhero cartoons and GI Joe toys. I had pink clothes, sure, but I loved red. Mom made me wear dresses on special occasions. I was constantly reminded to sit like a lady. But my favorite thing was having an active imagination and playing adventurous little games.

I was a tomboy, a phrase not used now. I watched Punky Brewster and Voltron and listened to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. I climbed trees and stayed up playing pretend after dark. I loved shows with the tough girls and I hated being told I couldn’t do something because I was a girl.

Grown Up

Sounds like I grew up to be a feminist. Nope. I may be sufficient in a fight (I’m a black belt), but I still like the idea of a tall, dark, and handsome sticking up for a girl. I like women being strong and achieving their goals, but sometimes the world is overkill on the matter.

The other day at the bus stop, the moms were chatting about something and the dads were talking about the latest Marvel and DC shows. I jumped in with the dads’ conversation. (Marvel, what are you doing? Overkill on the girls lately. I liked the guys.) I’ve always gotten along easier with guys. But I’ve never been told I should be one. It wasn’t a thing. Thank God.

Where are all the Tomboys

A fellow tomboy friend and I have discussed what it’d be like if we were kids today. I’m so glad I’m not. I worry for my kids. My younger son asked me if he looked beautiful with a flower in his hair. I told him he’s amazing but the flower looked silly because it was giant (fake) and falling over. We made it a funny moment. He asked if he had to be handsome because he’s a boy. I said yes. He thought, shrugged, and moved on. I felt like I dodged a bullet. Why should I have to feel like I dodged a bullet?

The stories coming out from our middle school about furries… It’s more than disturbing.

Remember when girls would like “boy” things but they were still girls?

Where are my tomboys at? You know.

Upside Down World

The art of tomboy-ship (hood? ish?) is lost in this generation. Boys are boys and girls are girls. Period. There’s nothing that says a mom can’t have a career and the dad works from home. Nothing. My husband does the cooking. I, actually, work from home now, but I had the big bucks nine-to-fiver for a good while. Each step in the journey was not a competition in roles, but a mutual what’s-best-for-our-family decision.

There are traits women have, even tomboys, that are meant for our hormones. There are traits meant more for men. Men are physically built to be stronger. Just because I can throw a few guys down doesn’t make me physically equal to the average guy. That’s fine. I’m secure in my womanhood. My husband’s an ER nurse. He gets angry patients once in a while that assume he’s gay. Sometimes he “yups” them to shut them up. He doesn’t care. He’s secure in his manhood.

This world is upside down. You have to wonder how much worse it has to get before God’s throwing in the towel. For my part, and my family’s, we’ll keep to our values and pray each generation is sturdy in that faith. After all, a dress doesn’t make a woman anymore than a scraped knee makes a boy.