This is my entry for this week's Ladies of Hive Community Contest 244. I decided to answer the second question that goes:

QUESTION:

Tell me about a female character in a movie, or a book, that you identify with, or that inspired you. What message did it leave you with?

ANSWER:

Immediately after reading the question, one character came to mind. It's from a manga I read several years ago, which is entitled "Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko" or "Tomo-chan is a Girl" in English.

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It's a romantic-comedy manga. I don't usually read romance stories, but the main character really caught my attention. She's called Tomo Aizawa. She's strong, athletic, and tomboyish, so people around her, including her childhood friend, whom she has a crush on, see her as "one of the boys".

Although the story centers on Tomo-chan's awkward yet determined efforts to be seen as a girl by her crush, I can relate to her in many other ways.

However, before we delve into that, allow me to share a poem I wrote for this challenge.

Not Your Typical Heroine

Just like Tomo-chan, I was also considered "one of the boys". It's mainly because of my interests and hobbies.

When I was young, I grew up with mostly male cousins. We used to play basketball, toy cars/guns/swords, watch anime, and so on. My dolls and other toys were merely for display.

In elementary school, I also played basketball with my male friends. They sometimes come over to play at our house. I do have female friends as well, but I found it more comfortable playing with male friends.

The same happened in high school. I had more male friends mainly because of our shared interest in sports, anime, music, and so on.

Just like Tomo-chan, my high school crushes also saw me as one of the boys, but I didn't mind. They were just my Vitamin A, anyway. hahaha

Well, aside from being a tomboy, we're also similar in that, despite being awkward, we stay true to ourselves. We both do things because we enjoy them, not to please others.

Accepting who you are and striving to improve for yourself, not for others, may sound simple, but for some, it's a challenging concept to grasp. Many people try to change themselves to fit in, but I believe that's really stressful. Of course, we feel more at ease when we feel that we belong, but I don't want to change myself for that reason. I'm quite adaptable when necessary, like when I need to complete a task or handle similar things. However, when there aren't any tasks or responsibilities involved, I just do me. I love being crazy and free!

So yeah, this is me... and that's enough! :) I may be different from others, but people who truly value me will stay regardless. ^^

That's it for this post. Thanks for reading, and see you around! (^^,)/