Why is the word "child" feminine in law?

[Aurore24]

[bednobs]

i didn't know it was, however, there are many words that traditionally take the masculine or feminine i suppose -eg "ship"

[MarkRae]

Where have you seen an example of the word "child" being feminine in law...?

[TCL-MUMPING]

No idea about the legal aspect but I know that the word "girl" originally meant a child of either sex, is that what you're thinking on?

[fredpuli47]

It isn't e.g. 'a child of the family' in family law means a child of either sex.
However, the masculine includes the feminine in statutes and also in the interpretation of documents, unless the context otherwise requires so 'he' means 'he or she'. Law students were taught 'the male embraces the female' which was supposed to be how the Interpretation Act put it. It doesn't. That was some long-forgotten lecturers 'joke'.