Angel Constance | When Tomboys Were Tomboys (Before Gender Dysphoria & Politicization) | Piper June

In my fond childhood memories, there exists a special place for the spirited, the daring, and the unapologetically tomboyish. These are the girls who climbed trees with skinned knees and wore their scraped elbows like badges of honor. The ones who reveled in the thrill of muddy adventures and found solace in the company of toy trucks and action figures.

For those women who once identified as tomboys in their girlhood, the world can be a curious place. The term itself, "tomboy," suggests a departure from the traditional, feminine archetype. It speaks of girls who defy conventions by favoring activities traditionally associated with boys. And it's not out of gender dysphoria. They simply and genuinely revel in dirt, scrapes, rough play, sports and the exhilaration of outdoor adventures that may have been deemed "inappropriate", quirky and idiosyncratic for their gender.

So the tomboy is not merely about a rebellion against pink dresses and prim manners; she is a personification of a childlike sense of wonder, unburdened by the cynicism and political correctness that comes with adulthood.

In the end, tomboy-hood was just a pure, untainted phase, a detour on the path to womanhood and adulthood.