Tomboy

I grew up in the 1970s, the youngest of five children, with a German father and a mother with Irish heritage. It would be fair to say that I was the tomboys above tomboys, Shiloh Jolie Pitt move over, I didn't call myself john! I called myself Barry ?My hair was cut short, I wore shorts, tee shirts, trousers, catch me in a dress, no fear.  I remember my dad chasing me round the house trying to put a dress on me. Shopkeepers called me son and I loved it, I played with action men! not Barbie dolls! I played soldiers! climbed trees! made dens! got muddy, all my friends were boys. I longed to be a boy.  I joined the local football training team, and was viewed with suspision by everybody, of course I wasn't allowed to play in matches, but I was really good at football, but there were no opportunities in the early eighties for girls to play football. Who knows what I might have been able to achieve? Anyway as I reached teenager hood , I started to wear more girly things! got interested in boys! but at heart I am the biggest tomboy going, I don't think it ever leaves you, but I've learnt to love who I am.