Tomboys, as a fashion style, used to be common among younger generations. Like other alternative styles, it allowed young girls and women to resist rigid, traditional gender roles.
That said, in recent years, the conversation around tomboys has changed. Specifically, the way society has viewed aspects such as sexuality and gender expression has influenced the way people dress, including the emergence of fashion trends.
Today, terms like gender creative or gender nonconforming have often replaced tomboy. These umbrella terms encourage children to dress in ways that feel natural, signaling a broader move away from rigid gender labels.
There shouldn’t be a specific way to dress or do to be considered a woman. Not only does this mentality ease the pressure women have societally when it comes to their appearance, but it also eases the experience of individuals who are questioning their gender identity.
Considering the rise in conservative values worldwide, thanks to political administrations like the Trump administration, there’s been an increased policing of what a woman is and how they should dress or act.
This mainly revolves around the conservative war against LGBTQ groups, specifically transgender individuals. Many in and outside of politics have pushed measures to exclude people from sports and the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity.
However, this has had an effect opposite to what many have intended. Many cis women, women who align with their identity assigned at birth, have been accused of being transgender simply because of how they dress themselves.
