Editing Tomboy (section)

=== Child development ===
[[File:Tomboy wikipedia hatpants.jpg|thumb|Tomboy is often a phase of gender presentation in childhood. It is not a true indicator of sexual orientation or future gender display.]]
Tomboy can be seen as a phase of gender presentation in adolescence.<ref name="Plumb-1984">{{Cite journal |last1=Plumb |first1=Pat |last2=Cowan |first2=Gloria |date=May 1984 |title=A developmental study of destereotyping and androgynous activity preferences of tomboys, nontomboys, and males |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/BF00287381 |journal=Sex Roles |language=en |volume=10 |issue=9–10 |pages=703–712 |doi=10.1007/BF00287381 |s2cid=143885856 |issn=0360-0025}}</ref> Some parents might be concerned by the lack of femininity in their child but the tomboy phase is, in fact, crucial to physical development between the ages of 8 and 13, according to [[Joseph Lee (recreation advocate)|Joseph Lee]], the playground movement advocate in 1915.<ref name="Lee-1915" /> Some girls start to embrace femininity as age increases while some persist to be tomboys in adulthood.<ref name="Plumb-1984" />

Psychologists speculate that childhood tomboy behavior results from a young child's innate curiosity combined with family dynamics and imposed societal gender roles and behavioral customs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adegbenro |first=Adeyinka |date=2019-11-19 |title=Why girls become tomboys |url=https://medium.com/@adeyinkaadegbenro/why-girls-become-tomboys-9a8e08daee6b |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=Medium |language=en}}</ref> The preference of athletics and masculine clothing can be explained by adolescent tomboys' curiosity about outdoors and physical games, by which comfortable clothing such as pants and jersey helps to facilitate their physical engagement.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=JONES |first=OWAIN |date=1999-06-01 |title=Tomboy Tales: The rural, nature and the gender of childhood |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/09663699925060 |journal=Gender, Place & Culture |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=117–136 |doi=10.1080/09663699925060 |issn=0966-369X}}</ref> A 2002 study suggests that some girls are "born tomboys" because of the higher testosterone levels of the mother during pregnancy.<ref name="ScienceDaily">{{Cite web |title=Study Suggests That Tomboys May Be Born, Not Made |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/11/021112075626.htm |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=ScienceDaily |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.psychometrics.cam.ac.uk/system/files/documents/testosterone-child-development-2002.pdf |pmid=12487486 |date=2002 |last1=Hines |first1=M. |last2=Golombok |first2=S. |last3=Rust |first3=J. |last4=Johnston |first4=K. J. |last5=Golding |first5=J. |author6=Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Study Team |title=Testosterone during pregnancy and gender role behavior of preschool children: A longitudinal, population study |journal=Child Development |volume=73 |issue=6 |pages=1678–1687 |doi=10.1111/1467-8624.00498 }}</ref> Being a childhood tomboy does not determine one's sexual orientation or life-long gender presentation. <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ahlqvist |first1=Sheana |last2=Halim |first2=May Ling |last3=Greulich |first3=Faith K. |last4=Lurye |first4=Leah E. |last5=Ruble |first5=Diane |date=2013-09-01 |title=The Potential Benefits and Risks of Identifying as a Tomboy: A Social Identity Perspective |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2012.717709 |journal=Self and Identity |volume=12 |issue=5 |pages=563–581 |doi=10.1080/15298868.2012.717709 |s2cid=143966649 |issn=1529-8868}}</ref>