Tomboy

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

By: Lisa Selin Davis

Narrated by: Therese Plummer

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 But "tomboy" seemed like an outdated word - why use a word with "boy" in it for such girls at all?

So was it outdated?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 21st-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.

©2020 Lisa Selin Davis (P)2020 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"An informative jumping-off point for further investigation." (Kirkus)

"[A] thorough and engrossing investigation... Davis's persuasive and deeply personal argument for moving beyond the gender binary will resonate with those curious about child rearing free of normative expectations." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"Davis leverages a familiar term to take a comprehensive look at gender performance in girls...Davis takes the reader in a fresh direction by illuminating the forces behind the shifting regard in which tomboys have been held...thoughtful consideration of how money and power have shaped our\never-changing view of tomboys." (New York Times Book Review)

Stick with it- an important and complex study

Tomboy pushed me further than I already was, which I regarded as enlightened and open to gender fluidity. Davis’ very thorough history of the term and the twists it has taken over the last several generations served as a
departure point. Her case for getting of our society’s penchant for hypergendering is right on for me. Great study!

Empowering Parents with Transgender Child.

I love this book, I am a 47 year old single parent, 16 year cancer survivor, 14 year old domistic violence survivor, because of the way things used to be a Fentanyl, genetic cancer survivor that got off of it by dr shopping to get someone that would help me back off.. I guess they felt like I couldn’t make that decision.

Not what I expected

I felt the author topic shifted to often. Additionally, the subject matter focus was erratic.

Totally woke

Checks every woke box. If that’s all you’re looking for, this will not disappoint. If you are a lesbian or think you might be, good luck getting any insights from this loosely put together series of articles pounding out the mantras of Queer Theory. Sorry I w wasted my time and money.