Tomboy
 

Hi,

From the dictionary:

marimacho
machorra
machona
varonera


Every single word is labeled as ofensivo. Is it really so?

Yes, it is.

All these words are vulgar ways of talking about a lesbian.

Ah, yes. I tried butch and got much the same set of words.

Nothing like a girl who enjoys rough, noisy activities traditionally associated with boys?

Yes, a girl who enjoys activities traditionally associated with boys is a tomboy.

In American English, 'tomboy' is never a derogatory term. This is a girl that just happens to like doing what boys like to do (playing sports, climbing trees, building tree houses or skating ramps, skipping stones while out camping or rafting, climbing mountains, etc.).

A tomboy is the opposite of a 'girly girl'. Girly girls are all about fashion (when younger, they play with dolls, have tea parties, try on dresses, hats, and high heels). They will put on designer jeans and will try their hand at makeup early on.


Some sites say that in Mexico (and Guatemala) they prefer to use machetona instead of marimacho (which, as Angélica said, means 'a lesbian'). Meanwhile, in Spain, marimacho isn't considered pejorative.

Others in Spain do think that marimacho isn't the right word, suggesting that chicazo works well. In other countries, they like chicote and chicota. But you can't count on using these terms universally. Some will say the words are derogatory, while others don't think they are.


A good definition of a girl who likes to do what boys like to do is «niña poco feminina». Another is «niña un poco masculina». (You can use other adverbs to get the right 'degree' (muy, bastante, etc.). You can also say [I]«niña muy chico».)

Best bet: Describe the girl and then ask locals what word they use.

I agree with Rusty: Better ask the people you're talking to.
In any case, I can only talk about Mexico, but I think it's the same in most of Latin America: socially and culturally, a girl who "enjoys rough, noisy activities traditionally associated with boys" is frowned upon. So no, I cannot think of any positive term to talk about these girls. :(
The most common word I hear around here is "marimacho", but it's definitely a pejorative term when referring to a girl/woman doing unlikely activities for someone her gender.