Types of Tomboy
“Defining a tomboy is tricky and what’s worse, most definitions of the word just ‘don’t get it’. Perhaps it’s because there’s just so many variations of us! So to get the ball rolling, we attempt to showcase some popular types of tomboys, each with their own style, look and varying views on life…”
In a world where the ‘princessification’ and ‘cosplay animation’ of wee lassies are becoming increasingly evident and alarming, tomboys stick out like a giant beanstalk in a miniature golf club only because they’re not interested in playing anything other than themselves but hold onto your classic Lego sets girls, because it’s not only the juniors that are getting the short end of the stick: some of us adult tomboys are feeling shortchanged too. Let me explain.
Rewind the tape back to 2013, if you please.
I’ve been curious for awhile now since we started the comedy chat podcast, Tomboy Tirade eight months ago and this blog, a few months after, that a number of women we spoke to about this project thought we were starting a site that advocated and celebrated gay women.
I was surprised, to say the least. Here I was, enjoying my tomboy lifestyle in technicolour and there were all these misconceptions floating around in our local Southeast Asian community.
I thought such thinking only thrived in rural, cupcake-sized towns but apparently, I must’ve gone on vacation to the next galaxy because decades later, I discover that the meaning of the word ‘tomboy’ took a bus, fell over a cliff and never survived the crash.
Watch the video below for some of our thoughts on being a tomboy.
Ironic because the tomboy movement in Asia is really huge. I mean it’s EPIC! From Tokyo to Seoul, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, one has to practically be living in an underwater cave to not notice how girls and women have silently embraced and preserved their tomboy roots.
But it’s definitely thrown me for a loop that when you identify yourself as a ‘tomboy’ today to the masses, you are now an exclusive ‘Austin-Powered’ gold card member of the ‘Lesbian, Bi & Butch’ lounge, where the martinis have more balls than Dr Evil’s blundering attempts at villainy.
Shocking? Maybe — but it’s not as discouraging as finding other equally facile, washed up definitions of ‘tomboy’ out there in the wastelands of cyberspace. Clogged up with negative connotations, being a tomboy is now equivalent to being an underdog headed for a guaranteed KO in a Pacquiao fight.
Here’s Urban Dictionary’s take on ‘tomboy’.
“A girl who dresses and sometimes behaves the way boys are expected to, often into more masculine things like “stronger” sports, computers, or cars. Stereotypically wears jeans, baseball caps, and denim vests/jackets. Often brought up with a lot of brothers or a child of a single father.”
What is this? Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?!
Google has also taken quite a jab at the definition of the word. Here’s their version:
“A girl who enjoys rough, noisy activities traditionally associated with boys.”
Hmmm….Sounds like a productive day at a construction site or a WWE wrestling audition.
And of course, the prize for most painful uppercut in this boxing ring is the ridiculous, antiquated and fosillised definition from the 1592 ‘Game of Thrones’ edition of the Oxford English Dictionary which defines a ‘tomboy’ as:
“…a woman who has been connected with connotations of rudeness and impropriety….”
Well! I never heard of such a preposterous view of tomboys.
So to help advance the evolution of tomboys, let’s explore just how many sub-classes there are because like everything else there are ‘variations to the expanding species’. Mind you, these are only generalizations because we tomboys hate being gift-wrapped like Christmas prezzies. In our lives, there is always room for all sorts of variables in this complex formula, so if these too, seem stereotyped, please excuse my denim jacket and baseball cap. A paper bag is on its way for you to throw up in. ☺
Here are some types of tomboys we’ve found in our house.
▶ THE CLASSIC TOMBOY
The Classic Tomboy exhibits a taste for red-lipstick, white shirts, khaki pants and the occasional riding breeches. This tomboy enjoys simplicity, afternoons on a horse and evenings spent pursuing other specialty hobbies before capping it all off with more reading, smart television or some other intellectual pursuit. She loves the outdoors, is opinionated and knows her classics, whether its music, art or literature and like most tomboys, is an all or nothing person. She can compromise but not on things she is utterly passionate about and can be very spontaneous, so watch out! When it comes to the classic tomboy, think Marlene Dietrich or Kate Hepburn and you’re pretty close. Madonna tries this style every once in awhile with riding whips, tophats and a tuxedo. Remember Dita from the “Erotica” era?
▶ THE ANDROGYNOUS TOMBOY
The Androgynous Tomboy has been around for the longest time. She appears as great and ostracised leaders and warrriors of history (Joan of Arc), pageboys in Shakespeare’s plays, space-travelling David Bowie-sque astro-glam mods and in top-rated Korean romance dramas. The androgynous tomboy has no interest in being in the trenches of gender wars. Her look, style and attitude is really what every tomboy aspires to because she is the one who straddles sexual ambiguity so effortlessly without all the rigidity and expectations associated with gender stereotypes. Modern-day androgynous female icons include Tilda Swinton, Coco Chanel, Grace Jones, Shannon Funchess and Annie Lennox.
▶ THE HIP-HOP TOMBOY:
The Hip-Hop Tomboy was a staple back with 90s female rap acts like Salt n Pepa, TLC and Missy Elliot. Essential to the look were oversized clothing. From baseball caps and tees, low-hung, reversed men’s pants, gold accessories and hi-tops so prevalent with male rap acts, the hip-hop tomboy came with serious attitude and an image that could either scream ‘Screw You!’ or ‘Cute’. This tomboy enjoys rap and hip-hop music, gaming, comics, tech and software, has a cool swagger, loves limited edition sportswear and gear and usually is very into urban sports like parkour, skateboarding, basketball, football and even the occasional chance to show off their B-Boy dancing skills. Modern day icons include, M.I.A, Global Icon, Santigold, Gwen Stefani and Rita Ora.
▶ THE ROCK/GOTH TOMBOY:
While I don the classic tomboy look most of the time, I am really a rock/goth chick tomboy inside. I enjoy wearing black tees, listening to industrial, new-wave and rock music. The only reason why I don’t pull that look off most of the time is that it’s not practical in the hot tropics where I currently live in. Besides that, it requires much accessorizing, makeup and hairstyling. It also requires quite a lot of layering, gelling and ‘eye-lining’. Great stuff for cold temperatures but in this heat? Forget it! The rock/goth tomboy typically can spend their days writing dark poetry, living on the edge or enjoying experimental art, music and books. They also find great joy in checking out cool fashion, dive bars and clubs with great bands as well as spending time gaming. More likely, they also play in a band, own a expensive motorbike or sports car, if they can afford it and are very cool under pressure. Icons include Debby Harry, Joan Jett, Ladyhawke, Siobhan Fahey, Chrissie Hynde, Nina Hagen and Siouxie Sioux.
