ABSTRACT
The encounter with puberty was often greeted with mixed emotions. For the tomboy, with her sturdy self-assertiveness and her special feeling about things boyish, this was a development that offered very mixed rewards. On one hand, there was the advantage of new growth, height, strength, capability-more to work with. On the other, a series of limitations appeared; those physical changes of puberty particularly associated with womanliness tended to function as and be perceived as problems. Even more troublesome were the social expectations for more decorous ladylike behavior; this was a powerful set of messages and not readily set aside. The lure and excitement of awakening sexuality-this was a powerful voice that did much to ease the transition. The rewards of admiring and responsive attention from boys were by no means trivial. Meanwhile, issues about whether to wear a dress gave way to problems of what dress to wear to look most attractive. And the business of vying with other girls or envying this one or outdoing that one found ready room for growth within these active and competitive youngsters.
