I kind of like this distinction: "Essentially, “female” connotes a biological category, while a “woman” is a whole human person. As a result, while “woman” technically is a noun (Merriam Webster), many are embracing its use as an adjective to achieve a more inclusive meaning that emphasizes gender over biological sex." https://golin.com/2021/03/31/stop-using-female-when-you-mean-woman/