A review by caitcoy
Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince

5.0

I really wish I'd had this book when I was younger and for that reason I cannot recommend it highly enough for girls or boys who don't feel like they fit in. Even at 27 I still feel a weird disconnect from expectations for my gender. I love sports and videogames and have never had much interest in traditionally "female" areas like fashion or make-up. That's not to say that I now judge girls who do like them, just that that was never me. In the past, the expectations of others made me have a violent dislike of anything that I perceived as "girly" in much the same way that Liz did. I remember my brother telling me that I couldn't like the color blue because blue was a boy's color and that I had to like pink. And of course because I am Ms.Contrary, I developed a violent hatred of pink that I still can't get over. :P It was both heartwarming and painful to see Liz go through the same experiences and to the point that she hated any sign of femininity, even from her own body. I thankfully never felt it to that point, I just never felt like I fit in. I love that this book is a denial of the traditional idea of gender roles and that it advocates for a more nuanced understanding without militant bashing of either side. There's absolutely no reason that a girl who likes videogames/sports/roughhousing or a boy who likes fashion or princesses is somehow some freak mix that must be avoided at all costs. Liz Prince treats this subject with humor and a gentle understanding and Tomboy was a joy to read from start to finish. If you are or were ever a tomboy or even just remember the struggle to fit in, this is definitely a must-read!