I think of tomboys as girls who prefer male fashion and activities to traditional feminine ones. One of my students has been raised mainly by her dad. She’s obviously ruled by her hormones and can be a little, erm...sensitive and impatient. But at the same time she loves hunting, 4-wheelers, and can tell you exactly how to skin a beaver properly.
No, I’m not kidding. You have to understand local culture where I live. Of course in this part of the U.S., survivalist skills and activities are just part of the culture, so we have a distinctive taste for things most people would give the side eye. Y’know, okra, chitterlings, chicken livers and gizzards, poke sally, blackberry cobbler, etc. It has something to do with how our ancestors were abused over a dispute over states’ rights and the lengthy war that followed. “Making do” is just how we live, so certain things that most people think of as “tomboyish” for us are things we all enjoy and take part in regardless of gender. A girl who likes to hunt isn’t necessarily a tomboy, whereas a girl who ONLY likes to hunt and who prefers camo to tight jeans might be.