Category:Tomboy

Derived from the term "tomcat" for a male cat, the Tomboy is a major character archetype and yet is also a somewhat vague concept, and it is associated with the gender variance/nonconformity.

A tomboy is a girl who has tastes and behaviors usually associated with boys. Because these associations are culture-dependent and tend to change, what exactly constitutes a "Tomboy" is subjective. Especially historically, any girl interested in science, vehicle mechanics, house and/or building construction and/or renovation, sports, or combat has been called tomboyish.

However, even where gender roles are relatively lax or fluid, choices made regarding media consumption, recreation, and fashion, remain segregated for the most part. Thus the Tomboy remains a current figure and a popular one for various reasons: A woman might chafe at how "femininity" limits her choices and find a like-minded heroine empowering; boys might find a girl who likes the things they do more relatable. Tomboys are often seen as a great way to appeal to both male and female demographics with the same characters. For still others, a love of Tomboys may have nothing to do with their opinion on gender. The audience finds (minor) transgressions of accepted roles "cute" or funny. A great deal of media takes this latter position, sometimes presenting the Tomboy as sympathetic but, in the end, immature or even troubled.

In the story, justifications also vary. Some girls might just enjoy doing boyish things more. Perhaps she's Daddy's Girl and so wants to do things with him. A similar possibility is that she was Raised by Dudes. Maybe she has no brothers and so the father raises his daughter the way he would a son. It could be that she has no sisters but several brothers, and to be included with them she engages in boyish activities. Or maybe she is socially awkward and simply wants to go somewhere where she thinks the awkwardness will be accepted because she is a "foreign visitor" anyway.