The word is "women". Would you call their male co-workers "boys" in the same context?

Oh give us a break, my Mum 60+ calls her friends 'girls'. The word hasn't been 'women' in ages. You people, sheesh.

(Late I know but) I said "in the same context". "Woman", "women" are very common words, but men revert to "girl", "girls" when they (usually unconsciously) are looking down on the woman in question. It should stop. As a term of endearment used by another woman it is clearly not the same thing.