Growing up my parents never told me or my sister's that we couldn't play with toys that associated with boys. I  always found myself in the lil girl section searching for my next barbie or make-up while my older sister was in the boy section looking to purchase anything related to sports and Micheal Jordan. Shelly, my older sister was a "Tom Boy" and I was the "Material Girl."  Wherever there was a game of basketball you would find Shelly  playing ball with the boys. She dressed like a boy and even looked like a boy. I was the type of girl that loved all things pink, dolls, barbies and play make-up. I was sugar and spice and everything nice,  even if I caked on the make-up like Mimi from the Drew Carey show.

 I do recall many people from church referring to my sister as a Tom- Boy and my parents would just smile because they were proud of her, they didn't care that she wasn't playing with dolls, they embraced what she loved.  She was so athletic that she put the boys to shame on the court. She played on the Shamokin Youth Basketball League and was the only girl on an all boy team. She started every game and always crushed the boards.  Shelly continued playing basketball and softball through high school. She never changed her look either. The stereotype of being a Tom-Boy never bothered Shelly, she embraced it. Never was she bullied for not being more girly, probably because they were afraid of her.

Today, my sister is married and has two beautiful children. She is still a "Tom Boy" and  is still very involved in sports. Her hair is still short and she chooses to not wear make-up. Being stereotyped never bothered her as a child or an adult. Shelly definitely is fine in her own skin and owns it. Why??? I'm not sure, I'd like to think it came from our parents not pushing the issue about what a girl should be playing with and not falling to others

whom have had stereotypical thoughts.