We all have heard the tale many times about the benefits of children playing sports and how youth involvement in athletics gives health and social advantages while also developing a strong character. All of the research and studies surrounding this topic may be true. However, female athletes can encounter a different effect from playing sports than males.
Tomboy; noun, a girl who enjoys rough, noisy activities traditionally associated with boys. It was first used in the 1500’s to describe a woman who was bold and immodest. It was then a common character seen in 1900’s art, film, and literature such as Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird. The term today now describes girls who are friends with mainly boys and who also partake in predominantly male activities, such as sports. Either way, the term has never had a positive connotation.