TOMGIRLS:
Tomboys are a popular choice when writing heroines and are also popular in society, but not so for tomgirls. What is a tomgirl? There's no such word. One reason is, society, reinforced by most boys and men don't allow boys or men to "step a little outside the rigid masculine stereotype." This thought and many other insights are addressed by Emily Alpert Reyes, a LA Times demographics reporter in her piece, Gender Double Standard.
See her story below for an in depth look at this phenomenom.
http://lbfromlv.wordpress.com/2013/12/27/men-are-stuck-in-gender-roles-data-suggest-by-emily-alpert-reyes-december-26-2013-634-p-m/
In general, men like Tomboys. but women do not like Tomgirls. However, if done right, tomgirls, sensitive men, neat freaks, artists, metrosexuals, men who perform traditionally female jobs, can be fertile ground for the creative writer when sketching out a male hero. Call it a flaw if you like.
Hollywood has much more fun with this than romance writers who tend to stick to alpha rather than beta heroes. Think of Cary Grant (as a professor) in Bringing Up Baby. Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie.
Could you imagine the neat freak in The Odd Couple (Felix) played by a leading and very handsome man with the story twisted to showcase a romance with a circumspect heroine? Take it a step further and have them live together. Instead of Oscar, let's call her Oscalina.
Just have fun with it, there's a ton of material to be mined.
With all the heroines in romance being scarfed up by alpha heroes, what's a beta type of guy to do?
Here's one way. The trailer for the movie Her.
Tomboys are a popular choice when writing heroines and are also popular in society, but not so for tomgirls. What is a tomgirl? There's no such word. One reason is, society, reinforced by most boys and men don't allow boys or men to "step a little outside the rigid masculine stereotype." This thought and many other insights are addressed by Emily Alpert Reyes, a LA Times demographics reporter in her piece, Gender Double Standard.
See her story below for an in depth look at this phenomenom.
http://lbfromlv.wordpress.com/2013/12/27/men-are-stuck-in-gender-roles-data-suggest-by-emily-alpert-reyes-december-26-2013-634-p-m/
In general, men like Tomboys. but women do not like Tomgirls. However, if done right, tomgirls, sensitive men, neat freaks, artists, metrosexuals, men who perform traditionally female jobs, can be fertile ground for the creative writer when sketching out a male hero. Call it a flaw if you like.
Hollywood has much more fun with this than romance writers who tend to stick to alpha rather than beta heroes. Think of Cary Grant (as a professor) in Bringing Up Baby. Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie.
Could you imagine the neat freak in The Odd Couple (Felix) played by a leading and very handsome man with the story twisted to showcase a romance with a circumspect heroine? Take it a step further and have them live together. Instead of Oscar, let's call her Oscalina.
Just have fun with it, there's a ton of material to be mined.
With all the heroines in romance being scarfed up by alpha heroes, what's a beta type of guy to do?
Here's one way. The trailer for the movie Her.
