Character The tomboy trope

[takadote26]

In late 00's, the 'tomboy girl' trope was quite commonplace, and short hair was often associated with that hairstyle, and my current challenge is how to modernise a tomboy cop so that the tomboy trope doesn't stand out as much, mainly because she has short hair?
Tldr; tomboy trope = once associated with 'short hair' in girls back then

 

[Homer Potvin]

In late 00's, the 'tomboy girl' trope was quite commonplace, and short hair was often associated with that hairstyle, and my current challenge is how to modernise a tomboy cop so that the tomboy trope doesn't stand out as much, mainly because she has short hair?
Tldr; tomboy trope = once associated with 'short hair' in girls back then

I think that one's dead, Jim. Gender fluidity has probably obviated the effect. Girls wanting to do boy stuff or affect a look that would have been associated with a boy 30 years ago are... well, out of date by about 30 years or so. Even Arya Stark in GoT wanting to be a knight instead of a princess was very lame and tiresome, and even that was like 15 years ago.

I suppose it could be modernized but it kind of flies in the face of modernity. Short hair in particular wouldn't fly, I think. You would probably have to explain too much to a modern audience about why a girl with short hair would have any significance to make the gag worth the trouble. And you'd have to separate all the lesbian or trans symbols to make the point that the tomboy character just wanted to do boy stuff, not actually be a boy. That was the classic tomboy trope as portrayed in literature and cinema, but they also didn't write about gay characters much back then either. Actually, I bet if you took a bunch of that stuff and showed it to a young, modern audience, they'd see everything through the LGBTQ+ lens. Not that there wasn't some latent lesbianism or other subversive messages in those seemingly innocent 80's portrayals, but even that needed to point to something that was taboo to qualify, and it's not really taboo in the arts anymore.

I don't know. I guess the real question is why you'd want to do that. That might inform a realistic path to show it.

 

[Trish]

I don't think the tomboy thing was only associated with short hair. I was consistently considered a "tomyboy" in the oughts and my hair was down to my hips. It's mannerisms and attitude that denotes tomboy. I am curious what you're writing that you're worried about it. Tropes are not to be feared. They are tropes because they work. Is your character well-rounded? Unless her short hair is the only thing characterizing her, I really think you're likely worried about nothing.

 

[big soft moose]

Nearly all female patrol cops have short hair, mainly because if you have long hair people can get hold of it in a fight and use it to slam your head into a wall

 

[Trish]

Nearly all female patrol cops have short hair, mainly because if you have long hair people can get hold of it in a fight and use it to slam your head into a wall

Maybe in the UK. Here they just lock that shit down in a bun so tight it gives them a face lift most of the time. Very few female cops in my neck of the woods have short hair.

 

[Naomasa298]

Very few cops in my neck of the woods, full stop.

 

[Trish]

Very few cops in my neck of the woods, full stop.

Not many directly in mine either, I'm very rural, but two family members are cops and one family friend's husband, so I know a LOT of cops.

 

[big soft moose]

Most police departments in the US have a presentation standard which often mandates that hair must be above the collar unless exempted by supervisors … this is true of LAPD, NYPD and others… my original point being that no one will assume a cop having short hair must be a Tomboy

 

[Trish]

Most police departments in the US have a presentation standard which often mandates that hair must be above the collar unless exempted by supervisors … this is true of LAPD, NYPD and others… my original point being that no one will assume a cop having short hair must be a Tomboy

Above the collar while in uniform, meaning secured (bun, ponytail, etc.). Agree with original point and would add, no one will assume any woman with short hair is a tomboy, in any setting.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Zillions of cops here. The females always have their hair up in buns. Not sure what is or is not mandated, but I know that no dress codes or appearance standards survived Covid here. The visible tattoo one got so ridiculous you'd have people who looked like mummies until everyone realized you couldn't have a workforce in any industry if you excluded the tattooed ones.

 

[JLT]

Odd thought. The "tomboy trope" is that girls don't act like girls, doing little-girl things like playing with dolls or playing house or dreaming of beaux. They go out with the boys and do active things like climbing trees or doing sports and the like.

Was it Simone de Beauvoir that said that when women start wanting human things, they are accused of being masculine?

And what would be the word for a boy who played with dolls and such? Would he be a tom-girl? Or is there another word for it?

 

[Homer Potvin]

And what would be the word for a boy who played with dolls and such? Would he be a tom-girl? Or is there another word for it?

Insert the time-appropriate gay slur. You would have been a "fag" when I was growing up.

 

[Also]

And what would be the word for a boy who played with dolls and such? Would he be a tom-girl? Or is there another word for it?

Sissy

I'm not endorsing, just guessing.

 

[Trish]

You would have been a "fag" when I was growing up.

Sissy

Both of those when I was a kid. Also "mama's boy".

 

[Naomasa298]

As to how to "modernise" it - you do it by not writing them as a tomboy. Easy no?