A tomboy is typically described as a girl who behaves according to the gender role of a boy, though the term is also applied to adult women. This social phenomenon typically manifests itself through these characteristics: Tomboy may refer to: Tomboy, a girl who behaves according to the gender role of a boy. ... For other uses, see Girl (disambiguation). ... A bagpiper in Scottish military clan-uniform. ... For other uses, see Boy (disambiguation). ... Social phenomena include all behavior which influences or is influenced by organisms sufficiently alive to respond to one another. ...

• The wearing of typically masculine-oriented types of clothes.
• The practice of games and activities (often physical in nature), that are typically considered to be the domain of boys.
• The preference of school subjects typically considered to be the domain of boys (i.e. mathematics, the hard sciences)
• The preference to befriend boys rather than other girls.

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Word history

The word has been recorded to be used in the English language since 1553, primarily to describe a "rude, boisterous boy," from Tom (a common boys' name as in 'Tommy', meaning soldier) + boy; the meaning "bold or immodest woman" is attested from 1579; the present use is first recorded in 1592.^[1] Look up Tom in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Tommies from the Royal Irish Rifles in the trenches during the First World War. ...

In modern society

Historically, tomboys have been defined, as suggested in the examples mentioned above, by "boyish" behavior (like more physically active, technological, and scientific interests) and wearing boys' clothing. In recent times, as the use of traditionally female clothing such as dresses, blouses and skirts steadily declines among Western females, the distinction has become more and more one of behavior. A general increase in the popularity of woman's sporting events (see Title IX), and other activities that were traditionally male-dominated, is today broadening tolerance and lessening the impact of "tomboy" as a pejorative.^[2] Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, now known as the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act in honor of its principal author, but more commonly known simply as Title IX, is a 76-word United States law enacted on June 23, 1972 that states: No person...

Childhood gender roles are handled somewhat differently for tomboys and girlish boys. Gender scholar Judith 'Jack' Halberstam has claimed that while the defying of gender roles is often tolerated in young girls, older girls and adolescents who display masculine traits are often repressed and punished.^[3] Judith Halberstam is Professor of English and Director of The Center for Feminist Research at University of Southern California. ...

Causes

There is little study of the causality of the phenomenon, since it has been considered, first and foremost, to be a phase one might go through in early years of life. In recent times, however, due to a perceived correlation between tomboys and lesbianism, there have been attempts to find a causality for what is perceived as a deviant behavior in some cultures.^{[citation needed]} One theory of a possible cause is that a girl who spends her childhood and/or adolescence in an environment where the male presence predominates, she simply lacks any feminine role models. However, this hypothesis has been challenged by one report from the ALSPAC which suggests that the state is heavily influenced by genetic and prenatal factors.^[4] A lesbian is a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted only to other women. ... Childhood (song) Childhood is a broad term usually applied to the phase of development in humans between infancy and adulthood. ... “Adolescent” redirects here. ... Don Imus, The term role model was introduced by Robert K. Merton[1]. Merton says that individuals compare themselves with reference groups of people who occupy the social role to which the individual aspires. ...

References

1. ^ Tomboy in the Online Etymology Dictionary
2. ^ Contemporary definitions of Tomboy
3. ^ Halberstam, Judith: Female Masculinity, Durham: Duke University Press, 1998.
4. ^ Study: Tomboys Born, Not Made KSBW, 12 November 2002

An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline for Web content. ... Judith Halberstam is Professor of English and Director of The Center for Feminist Research at University of Southern California. ... KSBW is a television station in the United States and is the NBC affiliate for the Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz, CA market, with studios in Salinas. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

See also

• List of notable tomboys in fiction
• Amazon feminism
• Andromimetophilia
• Butch and femme
• Effeminacy
• Girly girl