Tomboy: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to Be Different

Tomboy: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to Be Different

by Lisa Selin Davis
Tomboy: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to Be Different

Tomboy: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to Be Different

by Lisa Selin Davis

Paperback

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Overview

Based on the author’s viral New York Times op-ed, this heartfelt book is a celebration and exploration of the tomboy phenomenon and the future of girlhood.

We are in the middle of a cultural revolution, where the spectrum of gender and sexual identities is seemingly unlimited. So when author and journalist Lisa Selin Davis's six-year-old daughter first called herself a "tomboy," Davis was hesitant. Her child favored sweatpants and T-shirts over anything pink or princess-themed, just like the sporty, skinned-kneed girls Davis had played with as a kid. But "tomboy" seemed like an outdated word—why use a word with "boy" in it for such girls at all?

So was it outdated? In an era where some are throwing elaborate gender reveal parties and others are embracing they/them pronouns, Davis set out to answer that question, and to find out where tomboys fit into our changing understandings of gender.

In Tomboy, Davis explores the evolution of tomboyism from a Victorian ideal to a twentyfirst century fashion statement, honoring the girls and women—and those who identify otherwise—who stomp all over archaic gender norms. She highlights the forces that have shifted what we think of as masculine and feminine, delving into everything from clothing to psychology, history to neuroscience, and the connection between tomboyism, gender identity, and sexuality. Above all else, Davis's comprehensive deep-dive inspires us to better appreciate those who defy traditional gender boundaries, and the incredible people they become.

Whether you're a grown-up tomboy or raising a gender-rebel of your own, Tomboy is the perfect companion for navigating our cultural shift. It is a celebration of both diversity and those who dare to be different, ultimately revealing how gender nonconformity is a gift.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780316458337
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication date: 12/14/2021
Pages: 336
Sales rank: 394,258
Product dimensions: 5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Lisa Selin Davis is an essayist, novelist, and journalist who has written for major publications such as the New York Times, the WallStreet Journal, the Guardian, Time, Yahoo!, and Salon, among many others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and kids.

Table of Contents

Introduction: A Tomboy Emerges 1

1 The Creation of the Pink/Blue Divide

1 What the Heck Is a Tomboy, Anyway? 15

2 Tomboys? Okay! Sissies? No Way! 35

3 Sporty Spice Dropkicks the Tomboy 53

4 Ode to Jo 71

II Why Tomboys Do What They Do

5 The Best of Both Worlds 89

6 Are Tomboys Born or Made? 103

7 Beware the End of the Princess Phase 125

8 Why Do Tomboys Wear Boys' Clothes? 137

9 Parenting Between the Pink and Blue 153

III Tomboys, All Grown Up

10 What Happens to Tomboys When Puberty Hits? (A Brief Introduction to a Giant Question) 175

11 I Used to Be a Tomboy. Now I'm a Full-Grown Lesbian 185

12 War of the Words: Tomboy or Trans Boy? 199

13 Breaking the Binary 225

14 Is It Time to Retire the Word "Tomboy"? 241

Conclusion: The Pink Ponytail 251

Acknowledgments 269

Bibliography 273

Endnotes 287

Index 307

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