Tomboys, trans folks, and the Times
Gender transitions can be lifesaving. But they're not the right path for everyone.
Last week an interesting op-ed appeared in the New York Times titled, “My Daughter is not Transgender. She’s a Tomboy.” In it, Lisa Selin Davis, a mother and young adult novelist, details her child’s interactions with adults who are confused about her gender.
Davis describes her daughter as a classic tomboy with “shaggy short hair” who prefers the company of boys and the comfort of T-shirts. Well-meaning adults often assume that her daughter is trans, and that she wishes to be referred to as a boy. Davis counters that she is indeed a girl, and that feminine pronouns are indeed correct.
As a grown-up tomboy I found Davis’ article familiar. Like Davis’ daughter I declined to wear dresses, preferred boys to girls as playmates, and dreamed of playing football. Similarly, I was often mistaken for a boy.
