tomboy
noun

- A girl considered boyish or masculine in behaviour or manner.

American Heritage Dictionary

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ORIGIN

The word tomboy can be traced back to the 16th century and meant a rude, boisterous (wild) boy. The word was later applied to a bold or immodest woman and eventually used to describe a girl who behaves like a spirited, boisterous boy.

Well-known tomboys in literature include Eva Lotte in Astrid Lindgren's book Kalle Blomquist and Scout Finch in Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which was made into an Oscar-winning film starring Gregory Peck.

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TALKING POINT

There have been few studies of the causality of women's behaviour and interests when they do not match the female gender role.

One report from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children suggests that preschool girls engaging in masculine-typical gender-role behavior, such as playing with toys typically preferred by boys, is influenced by genetic and prenatal factors. Tomboys have also been noted to demonstrate a stronger interest in science and technology.

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Practice OWAD in a conversation today
say something like:

“My mum was a real TOMBOY when she was young."