Tomboys. A nearly-outdated term, used to describe young girls who exhibit characteristics traditionally associated with young boys, such as a dislike of frilly clothes and dresses, or preferring a soccer ball to a Barbie doll.
You could say I'm a tomboy. Not as much as I was when I was little—nowadays I enjoy shopping, painting my nails and perusing Internet shopping sites. I've left behind my hatred of "girly" clothing and enjoy trying on new outfits and playing with different styles. I recently dyed my hair ombre for a new summer 'do, and while I don't wear makeup on a daily basis, I love practicing with it and watching tutorials on YouTube. I'm not the most feminine teenage girl you'll ever meet, but I'm certainly not masculine either.
And yet—most weekends, you won't find me grabbing ice cream with my girlfriends. You won't find us getting our nails done together or lounging across our beds chatting about boys.
No, most weekends you'll find me hanging out with my guy friends, playing dodgeball at Sky Zone or Capture the Flag in my neighborhood park, chatting over coffee or roasting each other over Discord while we game together.
In short, I'm the girl that's "one of the guys." And no, I'm not lesbian; I've dated guys before, and I crush on them all the time.
And no, I'm not what you would deem a slut, either, not someone just looking for summer hookups or friends with benefits. I've just always gotten along better with guys.
Don't get me wrong, I have good, close female friends, friends whom I love dearly; it's just that I'm more comfortable hanging out with the boys and playing Overwatch than gossiping with my girl friends about cute football players. I prefer running around in the woods with the boys to sitting at picnic tables gossiping with girls.
And it goes deeper than that—when I first meet girls, I find it hard to break through the awkwardness of first impressions to the comfortable conversation waiting beneath. With guys, we almost always strike up an easy, friendly repertoire in a matter of a few minutes. Part of it is probably my personality; I'm naturally flirty and outgoing, which works to my advantage when I'm breaking the ice with boys. Another part of it is probably the fact that I grew up with three older brothers who wrestled with me and taught me to play soccer, instead of sisters who painted my fingernails and braided my hair.
Yes, it can be frustrating for me sometimes. I see how easily other girls get along and have to wonder if I'm doing something wrong, to lack that ease and comfort. It's frustrating also when girls feel uncomfortable with my association with guys, assuming that I'm just looking for their romantic attention—and it's equally frustrating when guys take it the wrong way and think I'm looking for a relationship, when in reality all I want is their friendship. With girls, I have to work hard to build a relationship, to let down my guard; for whatever reason, it's easier for me to let loose with guys. Frustrating as it may be, that's simply the way I am; my best friends are almost all guys, and I couldn't have asked for better ones.
"Tomboy" makes me sound like a little eight-year-old still making mud pies in the backward, but that's probably the best word to describe girls like me, the ones that hang out almost exclusively with guys. I'm certainly not someone you can look down on, just because I enjoy the company of my guy friends. I'm not just an immature little girl desperate for some guy attention, nor am I a closeted lesbian stifling her innate desires. I'm just a girl who's "one of the guys," the girl who you'll find playing video games until the wee hours of the morning, the girl who clicks with guys more easily than with other girls. And at the end of the day, I'm okay with that. Because for all the annoying side effects that come with being a tomboy, I'm comfortable in the knowledge that my guy friends have got my back—just like your girlfriends have got yours—no matter what the rumors and stereotypes say in contrast.
