History Main / MasculineGirlFeminineBoy

* ''Webcomic/{{Widdershins}}'' Harry, the gruff former policewoman turned freelancer and a bona fide ActionGirl who HatesWearingDresses, forms a fast partnership with Sidney, a {{Keet}} NonActionGuy flamboyant wizarding school drop-off with his heart on his sleeve.

%%* ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss''

* Downplayed but [[Characters/MarvelComicsGambit Gambit]] and [[Characters/MarvelComicsRogue Rogue]] have shades of this, mostly because Gambit is only couple degrees higher than a BadassNormal being a swift thief with [[HavingABlast kinetic explosion ability]] while Rogue is an immensely strong PowerParasite FlyingBrick whose StoryBreakerPower puts her leagues above him, despite them being depicted as a BattleCouple. Personalty-wise, Gambit is cautious, tactical, and [[RealMenWearPink wears pink]] while Rouge is headstrong, tomboyish, and stubborn. Nationality also gives credence to this trope as from the French-center of New Orleans while Rogue is from Mississippi with her brash southern accent clashing with the Gambit's French tones. Rouge also often reverses the BridalCarry with Gambit, '''however''' this trope is also subverted with Rogue and Gambit as ironically being with him, Rogue actually becomes more feminine and stops being such a ShrinkingViolet.

* ''Webcomic/TheMuscleGirlNextDoor'' has the scrawny {{Tsundre}} Dalia who outside of studies is an excellent cook, pining over next-door neighbour Ruby, a very buff young woman, who regularly weightlifts.

* [[Characters/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyModern Peter Quill and Gamora]] (''Film/{{Guardians of the Galaxy|2014}}''), [[ComicBook/AntMan Scott Lang]] and Hope Van Dyne (''Film/AntMan1''), and [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker]] and [[Characters/MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson Michelle Jones]] (''Film/MCUSpiderManTrilogy'') from the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse all follow this dynamic to some extent. Quill, Scott, and Peter are not afraid to show emotions whereas Gamora, Hope, and Michelle are all more hardened to the point of being TheStoic. In all three pairings, the man is also less aggressive than the woman.

* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieFairytopia: Mermaidia'''s compassionate [[DistressedDude Prince Nalu]] falls for the brash explorer Nori. Their typical roles in the narrative are reversed, too- Nalu is captured by the BigBad's minions, and Nori must brave the ocean's dangers to save him.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* UsefulNotes/{{Bill|Clinton}} and UsefulNotes/HillaryRodhamClinton. Bill feels your pain; Hillary votes to attack Iraq and is asked to join the watch party when the US takes out Osama bin Laden.
* Frederic Chopin is a Polish pianist, composer, and sickly. He was paired up with George Sand (the ''nom de plume'' of Amantine Dupin), a {{Tomboy}} writer overlapped with TheLadette.
* For red eared sliders, the females are bigger and far more aggressive than the males who are smaller and attend to be more docile and shy, especially when handled.
* There are several animals that exist where the females are dominant over the males, such as hyenas and spiders.
** Mosquitoes are an interesting case. Both genders eat nectar and fruit juices but the females are the only ones who feed on blood.
** Another interesting case is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalarope the Phalarope.]] The females are brightly colored and go courting, while the males are dull-colored and brood the eggs.
** Also the case with emus, in which females are the aggressive and territorial ones, while the males are the ones left with the responsibility of raising and protecting the chicks.
** Many birds have the burden of parenthood placed primarily on the shoulders of the male. It turns out that this may be an evolutionary trait, as maniraptoran dinosaurs display this behavior as well (the fossils of brooding raptors lack a specific bone that is only found in nursing females, leading to the conclusion that all these brooding raptor specimens were male).
** The aforementioned spotted hyenas are an extreme example, as females not only are larger and more aggressive than males, but even their genitalia look very penis-like. This "pseudopenis" even can get erect, but males can penetrate it only when it's flaccid. Since it gets erect when males act too aggressive with females, males need to remain docile or otherwise are unable to mate.
** Seahorses are the {{Trope Namer|s}} for MisterSeahorse for a good reason. Males have a special pouch in which they carry the fertilized eggs in which the embryos develop. In some species, the females even have an ovipositor, basically a somewhat penis-like tube they can use to insert eggs in the male's pouch.
* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_I,_Duke_of_Orléans Philippe I, Duke of Orleans]], the younger brother of King UsefulNotes/LouisXIV of France, was a feared tactician (to the point that his own brother removed him from command in fear he would overthrow him) and a master of the courts. But he was also, essentially, CampGay ''avant le lettre'', known for his effeminacy and for wearing female attire at balls and parties, and known for his long-term relationships with male "favorites." Meanwhile, his wife, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Charlotte,_Princess_Palatine Elizabeth Charlotte de Baviere]], loved hunting, could walk faster than most men at the court, and refused to wear a mask outdoors like the other ladies did to avoid a "weather-beaten" complexion.
%%* Their enemies tended to portray Marc Antony and Cleopatra as this, to insult him and make the Romans fear her.
* Japan now calls this the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivore_men "Herbivore Man, Carnivorous Woman"]] phenomenon. In short, more men are identifying themselves as meek, passive, and indifferent to the opposite sex, while women are becoming more assertive, aggressive, and eager to date. Thus, it's not uncommon for women to walk up to the man they're interested in and ask for his phone number, a date, or even sex. Whether this is a [[AManIsAlwaysEager good]] or [[NoGuyWantsToBeChased bad]] thing depends on whom you ask.
* In a world where the [[HighPoweredCareerWoman career-oriented woman]] is firmly entrenched into society, increasing in popularity too is its natural counterpart and soulmate, the HouseHusband. Though these two don't necessarily have to be married together, it is still quite common for the latter to be married to the former from a logical standpoint, as a stay-at-home dad needs a source of income. When these two are married it is often seen as a reversal of the typical gender roles seen through time (but most prominent in the 50s) with the wife staying home and taking care of the household while the husband goes out and earns money at his job. In couples like this, the wife is often seen as "wearing the pants" and is respected for fighting in a man's world, while the man is unfortunately often disrespected and mocked as being effeminate and weak.
* Music/JimmyReed was a sensitive and often vulnerable blues artist, and he often leaned on his wife, Mary Lee, for guidance and moral support. Mary Lee had a tough persona and did not take shit from people.
* Music/MichaelJackson and his first wife, the self-described tomboy Lisa Marie Presley.
* King Gustaf V of Sweden was seen as shy and feeble and took up broidery as a hobby. His queen, Victoria of Baden, ruled the Swedish court with an iron fist, was a brilliant horse-rider, liked to wear military uniforms, and was even made an honorary colonel of the German Empire.
[[/folder]]

* Princess Winifred the Woebegone and Prince Dauntless the Drab from ''Theatre/OnceUponAMattress''. Winifred is a plucky TomboyPrincess who likes to wrestle, crosses the castle moat by ''swimming'' through it, and is nicknamed "Fred". Dauntless, on the other hand, is an innocent, sensitive, guy, is the more romantic of the two, and is so meek that the idea of him confronting his evil mother is seen as genuinely shocking.

* Creator/DreamWorks:
** In ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'', Tigress is TheStoic, a tough-as-nails ActionGirl, the stronger one of the two, has manly traits, lacks TertiarySexualCharacteristics, and can take a while to warm up to people. Po is an AllLovingHero, a SupremeChef, easily emotional, clumsy, and can be one of the most soft-hearted characters in the series.
** Astrid and Hiccup from ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' also a great example helped by the fact Astrid is OneHeadTaller and much more skilled in combat than Hiccup. Personality-wise, Hiccup is more introverted and creative while Astrid is stubborn and proud, so it’s satisfying when the dynamic is shifted and Astrid becomes more compassionate due to Hiccup and his FluffyTamer behavior.
*** Unfortunately this trope doesn’t carry into the second movie since Hiccup is more masculine and Astrid is pushed into supportive girlfriend role. However, it is worth noting that the second movie focuses more on Hiccup and his relationship with his long-lost mother, and Astrid is shown to still be tough-as-nails in the tv shows.
** Gloria and Melman from ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'', with the former being a very tough and assertive figure who doesn't take any nonsense from her three male friends and the latter being an easily startled and nervous hypochondriac.

* Siblings Maria and Rudy Strongwell from ''Webcomic/Rain2010'' are a slightly {{Downplayed}} example. Maria being a tough and feared tomboy and Rudy is an effeminate, flabouyant, and sassy kid. As the comic goes on, we learn that Maria has quite a lot of stereotypically feminine interests/hobbies and that while Rudy certainly plays into the GayBestFriend stereotype a lot more, he is much more defined by his CannotKeepASecret tendancies and impulsive behavior than any stereotypical CampGay traits.

* Maria and Rudy Strongwell from ''Webcomic/Rain2010'' are a fairly mild example. At first, it looks like they fit the trope to a T. With Maria being a tough and feared tomboy and Rudy being a sassy, and flabouyant kid. As the comic goes on, we learn that Maria has quite a lot of feminine interests/hobbies and that while Rudy certainly plays into the GayBestFriend stereotype a lot more, he is often defined by his CannotKeepASecret tendancies and impulsive behavior than any stereotypical CampGay traits.

* ''VisualNovel/LittleBusters'' has Kurugaya and [[NiceGuy Riki]]. While Kurugaya is definitely feminine in appearance - [[BuxomIsBetter very, very feminine]] - she's a very competent, intelligent, intimidating ActionGirl who loves to dote on her cute classmates as a CoolBigSis. Riki, being a rather short, [[DudeLooksLikeALady feminine-looking]], shy guy, is very much included in her 'cute classmate' category. This causes him a bit of angst in her route as he feels like he should be acting cooler for her, but Kurugaya genuinely enjoys taking care of him, and by the end, he's happy with seeing her occasional cuter side.

* In ''Film/{{Norbit}}'', there's Norbit and his first wife, Rasputia. Norbit is a shy and sensitive nervous wreck and ExtremeDoormat who doesn’t have a mean or violent bone in his body where as Rasputia is a dominant, intimidating, aggresive and downright abusive FatBitch who doesn’t shy away from causing physical harm.

* ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'': Makoto Naegi and Kyoko Kirigiri are a non-romantic (aside from a little ShipTease) example. It's based on personality rather than appearance; Kyoko is [[TheStoic aloof]], proactive and willing to take risks, while Naegi is friendly and understanding, but more passive. Kyoko is also taller than Naegi (granted, he is the second shortest in his class, along with [[PassionateSportsGirl Aoi Asahina]], And she [[DistressedDude saved his ass]] a bunch of times during the game. There's a reason the fandom considers [[MemeticMutation Naegi the heroine and Kirigiri the true hero]], after all.
** In the sequel to both this game and ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'', ''Anime/Danganronpa3'': [[spoiler:The same couple makes a reappearance, having survived the last game. Their relationship has clearly developed into something more romantic, but personality-wise, they're pretty much the same. Kyoko is also Makoto's superior in the Future Foundation]].
** ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'': While averted [[PinkGirlBlueBoy in terms of appearance]], Kaede is assertive, is quick to take a leadership role, and is paired with the shy and reserved Shuichi.
* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', Saber has spent her entire life playing the role of king, has excellent swordsmanship skills, and is uncomfortable around her emotions, while Shirou has little combat ability but takes great pleasure in and excels at domestic tasks such as [[SupremeChef cooking]], [[BigEater much to HER pleasure]]. The fact that, despite this dynamic, Shirou still insists on taking up a StayInTheKitchen attitude (at least at first) generates a lot of the sentiment among the fandom, which leads them to miss [[MartyrWithoutACause how Shirou's reasons behind that are... well, more complex]].

# The girl does not have to be a [[{{Tomboy}} tomboy]], and the boy does not have to be a [[InTouchWithHisFeminineSide sensitive guy]]. A [[LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine Dark Feminine]] female and/or [[NobleMaleRoguishMale Noble Male]] can also invoke this trope.

** Conina in ''Literature/{{Sourcery}}'' in contrast to scrawny NonActionGuy Rincewind, who actually began to develop a crush on her [[DidNotGettheGirl despite it not going anywhere]].

* ''LightNovel/YumeGari'' implies that [[BattleCouple Tatsumi's dead parents]] were like this. The ActionMom mother was the active ''yumegari'' who [[DreamWeaver drove into people's dreams/subconscious]] and a LethalChef, the father watched over his wife's work as her ''yumemori'' and was a SupremeChef. (And Tatsumi pretty much describes her dad as a male YamatoNadeshiko.)

* ''WebAnimation/{{Helluva Boss}}''

* In the [[https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3206139/ original fiction]] version of ''WebOriginal/KeitAi'', Tomoyuki the [[VirginShaming "Cherry Boy"]] is an asthmatic and oftentimes bullied effeminate boy whose earliest childhood memory was him [[{{Crossdresser}} crossdressing]]. Meanwhile, (either version of) the super-athletic [[AmazonianBeauty "Amazon Queen"]] Seiko is the [[{{Tomboy}} captain]] of her sports club (in Tomoyuki's universe, it's the Karate Club and in AU Seiko's universe, it's the Judo Club).

** Betty and Archie from the main ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'' series at times have this dynamic, DependingOnTheWriter. When Archie's car breaks down, Betty fixes it. And there is even one comic where they try to enter a team surfing competition, but since Archie is too weak to carry Betty, Betty carries Archie.

* ''ComicBook/{{Princeless}}'' has the RebelliousPrincess Adrienne and her weak, sensitive brother, Prince Devin.

* [[OlderThanRadio Classic]] and surprisingly example: Christine and Raoul from ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', out of the couple Leroux describes Christine as “the strong one” of the relationship. She just has better fortitude than Raoul, and she might be physically stronger than him given that Christine overpowers Raoul ''twice'' in the novel to protect him from Erik, also Raoul is quicker to emotion than her being apt to burst into tears more frequently. Although to be fair Raoul is good with a pistol and actually wounds Erik, but regardless Christine is still the one who saves Raoul from her titular StalkerWithACrush’s wrath. When this trope is subverted and Christine is more typically fearful it’s a sign of how much the fear of Erik [[BreakTheCutie has gotten to her]]. Averted in the [[Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera stage]] and [[Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera movie]] adaptions where Christine goes through {{Chickification}} and Raoul becomes a badass MasterSwordsmen.

* In ''Film/{{Norbit}}'', there's Norbit and his first wife, Rasputia. Norbit is a shy and sensitive nervous wreck and ExtremeDoormat who doesn’t have a mean or violent bone in his body where as Rasputia is a dominant, intimidating, aggresive and downright abusive FatBitch who doesn’t shy away from causing physically harm.

* In a world where the [[HighPoweredCareerWoman career-oriented woman]] is firmly entrenched into society, increasing in popularity too is its natural counterpart and soulmate, the househusband. Though these two don't necessarily have to be married together, it is still quite common for the latter to be married to the former from a logical standpoint, as a stay-at-home dad needs a source of income. When these two are married it is often seen as a reversal of the typical gender roles seen through time (but most prominent in the 50s) with the wife staying home and taking care of the household while the husband goes out and earns money at his job. In couples like this, the wife is often seen as "wearing the pants" and is respected for fighting in a man's world, while the man is unfortunately often disrespected and mocked as being effeminate and weak.