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Dave Schaafsma's Reviews > Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir
Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir
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Dave Schaafsma's review
bookshelves: gn-memoir, gn-women, books-loved-2014, gn-ya, eng-305-sum-16, ya-gn-sum-2017
Sep 11, 2014
bookshelves: gn-memoir, gn-women, books-loved-2014, gn-ya, eng-305-sum-16, ya-gn-sum-2017
Read 2 times. Last read July 19, 2017 to July 21, 2017.
7/21/17 Reread for my summer YA Graphic Novels class with a focus on girls and women, a memoir for tomboys of all ages (and those that make fun of them, too, I guess). I liked it even more this time around.
10/17/14 Liz Prince writes this memoir from her younger self's point of view, with her Jeffery Brownish artwork to match, which I like so much. I'm here to tell ya that this book is really good, and useful in the world to all those who have issues with their bodies, their gender identities, who maybe don't feel entirely comfortable being the gender they were born into, or a range of related issues covered by this concept of "Tomboy".
So this book is both funny (self-deprecating) and painful (re: all the bullying) and through it, we get to like and understand Liz in all her honesty as we see her struggles as important and something lots of people probably go through. She draws in such a way to simply and quietly "draw" us in to the story. The point is that the style makes her and her story more relatable, and though this book seems to be mainly addressed to girls, women who went through similar journeys also will appreciate it. Great discussion starter. It's in part about finding the right clothes for you. . . and crushes and being mistaken for the opposite gender just because of the way you look. . . and sometimes taking that for a compliment.
This is a book that is making a difference in the lives of a lot of girls. My sister was a tomboy, and so was my wife, my neighbor, and so on. This story can help those who are not tomboys understand the way tomboys might feel.
10/17/14 Liz Prince writes this memoir from her younger self's point of view, with her Jeffery Brownish artwork to match, which I like so much. I'm here to tell ya that this book is really good, and useful in the world to all those who have issues with their bodies, their gender identities, who maybe don't feel entirely comfortable being the gender they were born into, or a range of related issues covered by this concept of "Tomboy".
So this book is both funny (self-deprecating) and painful (re: all the bullying) and through it, we get to like and understand Liz in all her honesty as we see her struggles as important and something lots of people probably go through. She draws in such a way to simply and quietly "draw" us in to the story. The point is that the style makes her and her story more relatable, and though this book seems to be mainly addressed to girls, women who went through similar journeys also will appreciate it. Great discussion starter. It's in part about finding the right clothes for you. . . and crushes and being mistaken for the opposite gender just because of the way you look. . . and sometimes taking that for a compliment.
This is a book that is making a difference in the lives of a lot of girls. My sister was a tomboy, and so was my wife, my neighbor, and so on. This story can help those who are not tomboys understand the way tomboys might feel.
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Reading Progress
September 11, 2014
– Shelved
September 11, 2014
– Shelved as:
to-read
September 11, 2014
– Shelved as:
gn-memoir
September 11, 2014
– Shelved as:
gn-women
October 17, 2014
–
Started Reading
October 17, 2014
– Shelved as:
to-read
November 21, 2014
– Shelved as:
books-loved-2014
February 17, 2015
– Shelved as:
gn-ya
July 20, 2016
– Shelved as:
eng-305-sum-16
July 20, 2016
–
Finished Reading
July 19, 2017
–
Started Reading
July 19, 2017
– Shelved as:
ya-gn-sum-2017
July 19, 2017
–
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"Rereading for summer YA Graphic Novels class with a focus on girls and women, a memoir for Tomboys of all ages (and those that make fun of them, too, I guess). Reading in honor of my sister, a proud Tomboy while growing up."
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July 21, 2017
–
Finished Reading
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Cecily
(new)
Jul 20, 2017 02:47PM
Being a tomboy can be tough, especially if you don't "grow out of it". But I think that, as a generalisation, it's harder to be a non-masculine boy.
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Great review. This has been on my radar since it first came out since I, too, was a tomboy. I embraced the term as a kid, but I'm just as happy to hear it used less these days, since it's more acceptable for girls to climb trees and want to play at being superhero(ine)s, etc., plus thanks to Title IX there are a lot more opportunities for all that energy to get channeled into sports. I've got to remember to actually read this book! Thanks for the reminder. P.S. I'm feeling jealous of everyone who is taking your class! All the comic books and graphic novels you're reading for it sound terrific.
Cecily wrote: "Being a tomboy can be tough, especially if you don't "grow out of it". But I think that, as a generalisation, it's harder to be a non-masculine boy."Research about bullying out of Chicago that I have read shows that boys bully effeminate behavior, not "gays" per se. In other words, if you can "pass" as straight, you can maybe fly under the radar and not get hurt. This is something we have known in general for a long time. If you have a disability, try to hide it, if you are of color, try to whiten it, and so on.
Cecily wrote: "Being a tomboy can be tough, especially if you don't "grow out of it". But I think that, as a generalisation, it's harder to be a non-masculine boy."Definitely! I think gentle, sensitive boys get brutalized, because they're perceived as a "threat" to all masculinity. Non-conforming girls aren't seen as undermining all femininity in the same way.
It's troubling to me how fragile masculinity is considered to be. Years ago I got yelled at by a male boss when we were moving office and I carried a lot of heavy boxes (I'm a former competitive swimmer and continue to work out). "Haven't you emasculated me enough!" he yelled when I picked up one he said he couldn't lift because of his bad back. I'm with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who says the word "emasculate" should be banned. The idea that someone else can steal or erase a man's maleness is one that needs to be stamped out.
This is the long way to saying that in my experience, straight men seem to feel far more threatened by both non-conforming males and females than gay men or women in general do, and then seem determined to protect themselves from that feeling. It seems sad to me that while women have really gotten to expand our horizons over the past fifty years, straight men are still, apparently voluntarily, keeping themselves in a very narrow definition of manhood.
Okay, that soapbox is going right back under my desk ...
Eilonwy wrote: "Cecily wrote: "Being a tomboy can be tough, especially if you don't "grow out of it". But I think that, as a generalisation, it's harder to be a non-masculine boy."Definitely! I think gentle, sen..."Thanks for that response, agreed!
David wrote: "Research about bullying out of Chicago that I have read shows that boys bully effeminate behavior, not "gays" per se. In other words, if you can "pass" as straight, you can maybe fly under the radar and not get hurt...."That doesn't surprise me. But it's not much help for the non-masculine, but not necessarily gay, non-females!
Cecily wrote: "David wrote: "Research about bullying out of Chicago that I have read shows that boys bully effeminate behavior, not "gays" per se. In other words, if you can "pass" as straight, you can maybe fly ..."True enough.
