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To let my DD be a tomboy in this society

222 replies

CowboyJoanna · 10/09/2024 15:43

My youngest DD is 6 years old and she is a massive tomboy. And when I say a tomboy, I don't just mean she prefers cars to dolls, or prefers trousers to skirts. She hates anything and everything even remotely girly.
Her interests include star wars, cars, football. All her friends at school are boys and she even gets invited to 'boys only' birthday parties. Her teacher has told me in school reports that she is 'one of the boys'.
Everytime we go to clothes shops she runs straight over to the boys section, even insists on wearing the boys school uniforms and has thrown massive tantrums whenever I've even tried to pick out packs of 'girls school shirts' even though theyre her size and only difference is they button the other way.
She has her hair cut very short close to her scalp, and even though she has a feminine name we call her a similar-sounding nickname more associated with boys for short. If you were to look at her, you would have no reason to expect shes a girl. Shopkeepers have even called her 'mate' or 'good lad', and though DD doesnt bat an eyelid it does make me worry.

It happened again yesterday when I took DD to the dentist, and the receptionist said to her 'youre getting a big boy arent you?'. And it got me thinking given that schools will start teaching her about how you can change your gender, i worry that my DD will be vulnerable and start thinking that shes a boy. Especially with everyone already mistaking her for one. But at the same time, thats how she likes to dress, likes to play and how she likes her hair, and she likes her 'boyish' nickname i dont want to stop her from being herself. Shes a very happy, confident, strongwilled little girl.

But what do i do for her long term happiness?

OP posts:
TheKeatingFive · 11/09/2024 14:35

maddening · 11/09/2024 14:29

Influential male fetishists looking to validate their kink

Unfortunately you are probably right

maddening · 11/09/2024 14:29

TheKeatingFive · 11/09/2024 10:20

The idea that any child is born wrong is just beyond belief.

Exactly. How this idea gained traction I will never understand.

Influential male fetishists looking to validate their kink

Superscientist · 11/09/2024 10:28

My sister was like this. Only wore boy clothes, only played with boys, her nickname was a male version of her name for 2-3 years said she wanted to be a boy. My parents rolled with it
Once she started secondary school she moved to a gender neutral version of her name, very much still a "tom boy" but now comfortable with being a girl. For her it was less about identifying as a boy, it was more about not identifying with the very narrow version of girl in our small village primary school. All the girls in her class and locally were princesses epitomised. She's in her 30s still gets on much better with men that women but has healthy friendships with both and is happy in herself and is a long term commited relationship with a man. She embraces all of aspects of her personality now the tomboy aspects and the feminine side too. It just took time for her to find where she fit in the world. School is such a false environment especially if it's a small primary.

TheKeatingFive · 11/09/2024 10:20

The idea that any child is born wrong is just beyond belief.

Exactly. How this idea gained traction I will never understand.

Sartre · 11/09/2024 10:11

I was like this as a child until I hit puberty. Hated being called a tomboy, I never understood why people made a big deal of it. She’s a girl who likes things we as a society deem masculine such as football. It’s nonsense, of course football isn’t just for males. She just doesn’t conform to societal expectations which is pretty cool, let her get on with it and stop worrying about it so much.

lifeturnsonadime · 11/09/2024 10:04

maddening · 11/09/2024 08:31

The issue is that there are plenty of school staff that are mistaking themselves for psychologists and teaching transgenderism and socially transing kids - the op is happy with her dd as she is - she is worried that others will look to convince her dd that she is trans based on their rigid gender stereotypes.

And it’s not just schools. When my autistic daughter was struggling with her mental health, a CAMHS mental health nurse was suggesting to her that it might be because she was unhappy being a girl. She wore ‘boys clothes’ and hair style because she’s got sensory issues that are common with autistic girls.

This idea that if a child wears the ‘wrong’ clothes it is struggling with their mental health they must be born wrong needs to stop.

In saying things like the above I have been accused of failing my ‘son’ when the reality is I have protected my daughter.

The idea that any child is born wrong is just beyond belief.

Screamingabdabz · 11/09/2024 08:47

MinervaMcGonagallsCat · 10/09/2024 22:13

'Tomboy'

😳😳😳

She is an individual with her own tastes which don't conform to your adult stereotypes.

Let her be and question your own prejudices

Oh for goodness sake 🙄 everyone knows what ‘tomboy’ means. It’s a flawed term but it does actually encapsulate exactly what some young girls are.

Yes of course lots of hobbies and interests are not inherently gendered but there are things that primary age kids are ‘generally’ into more than others, that you can draw a generalisation about ‘boy things’ and ‘girl things’. It’s a pragmatic term.

maddening · 11/09/2024 08:31

greengreyblue · 10/09/2024 16:01

At school the staff will know her and know she is a girl so that issue won’t be there, only with strangers. Let her be the type of girl she wants to be. Always reinforce that girls can do and like anything that boys can. We have boys with long hair at school and girls with short. Girls can and do wear trousers, one boy chooses to wear a dress. All fine.

The issue is that there are plenty of school staff that are mistaking themselves for psychologists and teaching transgenderism and socially transing kids - the op is happy with her dd as she is - she is worried that others will look to convince her dd that she is trans based on their rigid gender stereotypes.

LemonPeonies · 11/09/2024 08:30

I've always been a "tomboy", my dad taught me boxing, took me fishing and to car auctions from a young age. I played and fought with the boys. I'm still not overly girly. Just let her be herself. I get it's worrying with schools teaching to can be anything/ change gender etc. But education starts at home.

LemonPeonies · 11/09/2024 08:26

I've always been a "tomboy", my dad taught me boxing, took me fishing and to car auctions from a young age. I played and fought with the boys. I'm still not overly girly. Just let her be herself. I get it's worrying with schools teaching to can be anything/ change gender etc. But education starts at home.

Harry12345 · 11/09/2024 08:21

Me and my sisters were like this but my mum didn’t ever say they were boy things, we just liked them and had lots of boy friends, my sister is in a very make dominated workplace and does all diy but never once has she questioned being a female. I love football and starwars my other sister is into boxing, cars and plays rugby, none of us wear make up but we know we are woman. Can’t believe the 80s allowed kids to be who they are without stereotypes more than present day. Just let her be but always tell her she is a girl and girls can like and do what they want. I do think it’s so much harder if a boy wants to be feminine and wear feminine clothes

Sameshitdifferentdayx · 11/09/2024 07:33

Also to add, my sons football team has 3 girls on it, and they're fearless, courageous, confident and amazing at what they do on the pitch.
Being a girl does not stop you or define you in doing these types of things that some may consider to be "boy" things. Your DD is still so young, just let her be!

Tengreenbottles2 · 10/09/2024 22:36

Here is what you DO do: Start NOW reaffirming from every possible angle that women and girls can do whatever they want, wear whatever they want, be friends with whoever they want, and it doesn't stop them from being a girl, and if anyone says differently then they are STUPID and SILLY. Reinforce with loads of examples of role models. Then make sure she understands it is impossible to change sex, and that she will always be a girl/woman, and that's OK because that won't stop her doing any of the things she enjoys, including being mates with boys.

Also start mentioning that some children have two mummies, and that some women fall in love with men and want to have a husband, like you and daddy, but some women fall in love with women and want to have a wife. Just totally normalise it, just in case that information becomes relevant for her later on. Not saying it definitely will, but it won't hurt just in case.

What you absolutely DO NOT do, is tell her she's not allowed to dress the way she wants to dress, or try and get her to be more girly. I have seen it time and time again if you read the stories of trans children/trans people who transitioned as children: they expressed an interest in the clothes/toys/games of the "opposite gender", their parents freaked out and wouldn't let them do it because "that stuff isn't for your gender", so the child reasons "well if that stuff isn't for my gender, but I really like it, then I must be the opposite gender then" and "comes out" as trans. If you read the stories of trans people you'll see it over and over and over.

Edingril · 10/09/2024 22:33

First think you do is stop the labelling the second is leave her to be who she is the third is get help if you can't do the first 2

LikeWeUsedToBe · 10/09/2024 22:25

You have to stress it's ok for girls to like the boys things. Tell her society has labeled things for girls and boys but that's based on sexism.

My dd has a lot of 'boyish' interests and I've had similar worries in the past but I'm so vocal about my opinion she's fully aware she can be however she wants and it's her biology that makes her a girl not her interests.

I've explained it that gender ideology is a belief system. We have to be respectful and can't discriminate but we don't have to have their beliefs. Helps that we are Christian so I can say we have our beliefs and not everyone shared them but we can coexist peacefully, we don't have the same beliefs of other religions but must be respectful. Gender ideology is another new religion essentially. We love history so have covered a lot of how religions have oppressed and persecuted non believers or different believers. Burning witches etc. Mary and Elizabeth Tudor and the catholic protest and era of our monarchy. I'm now starting to cover the rise of the Nazis and the control of the media references to other similar patterns and other countries that control the media to control the people. My dd would never get sucked in to thinking she's a boy now because she understands as much as a 9 year old can. I think information is the best defence for our girls

Tengreenbottles2 · 10/09/2024 22:19

CowboyJoanna · 10/09/2024 17:23

Because it's not decent for a girl/woman to be showing her bare chest. Why else do you think little girls don't wear swimming trunks?? Confused

I don't particularly like it when men do it, but with women its not the done thing

Come on, little girls are allowed to show their bare chest though, because they don't have breasts! Go to the beach in summer and you'll see loads of little girls running around in just their knickers.

MinervaMcGonagallsCat · 10/09/2024 22:13

'Tomboy'

😳😳😳

She is an individual with her own tastes which don't conform to your adult stereotypes.

Let her be and question your own prejudices

Wonderlust233 · 10/09/2024 22:13

Tell her that girls can do all the stuff she is doing and that it's sad that so many girls don't get a chance to.

StarSlinger · 10/09/2024 22:09

lifeturnsonadime · 10/09/2024 22:03

No from personal experience trans activists go to disgusting lengths to target parents who hold the line.

Attacking a mother seeking advice on a parenting site for valid concerns is beyond the pale imo.

Having a different opinion is not 'attacking' nor does it make someone a TRA.

lifeturnsonadime · 10/09/2024 22:03

StarSlinger · 10/09/2024 21:08

Have you just made that up?

No from personal experience trans activists go to disgusting lengths to target parents who hold the line.

Attacking a mother seeking advice on a parenting site for valid concerns is beyond the pale imo.

EdgeOfSixty · 10/09/2024 21:23

DadJoke · 10/09/2024 16:46

Please don't confuse being gender non-conforming and being trans. Your daughter can play with what she wants, wear what she wants and be who she wants. If she is trans, you will know about it soon enough, and social contagion is not real.

Edited

Surprise surprise you're on this thread and spouting untruths @DadJoke

BeatsAntique · 10/09/2024 21:13

CowboyJoanna · 10/09/2024 17:28

With no top on?

I didn’t wear a swimsuit top on the beach till I was 9 and I had to. All my female cousins did the same, we were in a hot country.

StarSlinger · 10/09/2024 21:08

lifeturnsonadime · 10/09/2024 18:32

OP I’m really sorry the trans activists found this thread and are attacking you.

Children are not born wrong. It’s fucking disgusting that they are on this site promoting their agenda that harms children.

Your concerns are understandable and valid. There has been some good advice amongst the activism.

Edited

Have you just made that up?

Tralalaka · 10/09/2024 21:03

PassingStranger · 10/09/2024 20:59

Football is for girls now.
Come out the dark ages lol.

That’s not the point. When she started playing no girls played, I struggled to find a girls team for her, she wasn’t allowed to play on the boys team at school and there were no other girls we came across who wanted to play. Thank goodness that has changed but 15 years ago the girls just weren’t playing

offyoujollywelltrot · 10/09/2024 21:03

CrochetForLife · 10/09/2024 18:22

You're the one that is embarrassing yourself.

Oh wow you're still talking.

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