Opinion

Your Opinion – “Robust” Women

“Robust”, is it a word that can acceptably be used to describe a person of feminine gender ? If not then why not ?

One of the reasons I ask, is that I am myself “sturdy in construction”, and being described as robust, to me, is synonymous with strength and endurance – qualities that I admire others, like about myself and an aspect of charisma.

DonCharisma.org Opinion Graphic
DonCharisma.org Opinion Graphic

Please keep comments civil, constructive and related to the topic, or they will be moderated. Thank you for your co-operation. Warm regards, Don Charisma

74 thoughts on “Your Opinion – “Robust” Women”

  1. Ok, this is how I might respond to this dilemma about whether robust would apply as an apt description for a woman. I would call myself robust in a description and if a male responded then I could be able to assume he has…

    1. An understanding or interest in a varied vocabulary or,
    2. Few preconceptions as to physical attributes or,
    3. An interest in me other than physical attractiveness or,
    4. A slightly bizarre fetish that will quickly show itself and send me running for the hills.

    All things considered it might be a good way to glean the chafe when screening men lol

  2. A couple of years ago I was very robust. I like that description. But after a 6 month MS relapse when I couldn’t swallow anything I dropped a lot of pounds. When the paramedics arrived the day I fell they sent the backup team home, describing me as “tiny”. Couldn’t believe they were talking about ME.

    1. I remember my grandad had alzheimers and lost a huge amount of weight, he’d always been a portly man, so was strange to see him like that … good to see you back Angie 🙂

  3. I think being robust means being able to come back stronger mentally than before each time taking the hit longer and longer. I don’t think it is limited to any gender.

  4. Oh wow! You opened a can of worms with this one. I don’t know that I would be flattered if someone said I was robust. Although it is much better than the alternatives of fat, dumpy, well-rounded or padded.

    1. It was a relatively well thought out can of worms. It’s an enquiry for me, I’m interested to learn more about how others think on this, helps me with my writing and in my life. I’m “robust” myself so I’m allowed to ask ?

      Very enlightening reading everyone’s comment, extremely happy I asked the question. My personal conclusion is to have a better vocabulary, and as best I can make assumptions about who the receiver(s) is/are in order to find the most appropriate descriptive words. Not people pleasing, social savy’ness, and getting along with other folks. Sure I throw a curved ball in every once in while to mix things up, for humour perhaps, but life for me is better in harmony with my fellow human beings.

      Great to have so many patient teachers !

      Warm regards

      DC

      1. I know that you would not wish to antagonise others. From what I have read of you, that is not your style. I would probably describe myself as ‘robust’ also. It’s just one of those things. Not enough exercise + desk job = wide load 😉
        It was a valid question for you to ask. To boldly go where no man has gone before… lol

      2. Not generally looking to antagonise people, true. I get the impression that most feminine ladies might put up with robust would prefer something a little more well, feminine really !

        The opinions have helped broaden my knowledge and were all helpful, even the critical ones.

        Beam me up scottie … the boldly go has some interesting overtones I hadn’t though of before, but I’m chickening out again !

      5. I’m all talk, I wouldn’t do it either. But I admit that Aussies tend to call things as they see it and they really do take the piss out of each other.

    1. That’s a good way of looking at, but need to be careful that it’s delivered in a context which makes it clear one’s talking about mind-robustness, rather than body-robustness … warm regards DC

  6. If you say someone has a robust constitution, in that context it would mean to me that the person is healthy and vital. If you say someone has a robust figure, that would seem to mean heavy or stout. Tread carefully. 🙂

  7. ‘Robust’ for women has come to mean a nicer way of calling a woman overweight or extra curvy. If on a date, for instance, I would certainly not recommend it, unless one doesn’t want a call back. Always say ‘voluptuous’ and ‘curvy’ over the male/butch ‘robust’. Was it ever a good adjective for women? I don’t think so. Men are robust (lucky you). 🙂

      3. Lol, yes, sorry. I shouldn’t make comments in passing – gets me in trouble every time. Don’t know honestly regarding your question. What I do know is that my ‘lipstick lesbian’ friends who are voluptuously gorgeous would not care to be called robust – they wouldn’t like it one little bit. 😉

  9. Interesting point.

    I have used robust to describe coffee and heard it to describe a person’s sense of humour or their state of health. My preference for a word to describe me would be voluptuous as I am only 160 cm and have curves and not robust looking at all. “Robust” evokes a picture of someone tall, somewhat portly and of a slightly ruddy complexion hinting at spending a lot of time outdoors being sporty

    Hmmmmmm…..a bit Santa Clausy. Maybe because it is so close to Christmas and that is the prevalent image 🙂

    1. Thanks, the flavour one mentioned and it’s on google, so it must be true LOL

      So Santa Claus is robust, liking it !

      I should have Googled it really, but I found article from someone who likes robust – http://www.examiner.com/article/for-the-robust-woman

      Quote – ‘There is something about the word “robust” that reflects empowerment, confidence, strength and overall feeling sexy.’

      I couldn’t however see whether man or woman who wrote it, assuming a woman ?

      Cheers

      DC

      1. I am not sure who wrote it either and I think they need to get their eyes checked. Who in their right mind would mix ‘robust’ with lingerie? Robust does NOT make me feel sexy and I would never call a sexy man robust. Too stolid (the word robust, not the man)

        Hey DC……did you think this post was going to generate so much feedback? ha ha ha

    1. No problem, and apology accepted, I didn’t think you were writing maliciously or with ill intent. And I got the supportive nature of your comment.

      But I didn’t think the lady who commented on my other post was malicious either, I just got berated a little bit and gave as good as I got. And it’s given interesting topic for people to think about, so it’s a win for me and my blog readers.

      I’m interested in your contribution dude, it’s useful and appreciated. Critical appraisal is quite often helpful and useful. Critical humour is funny, often. I’ve written something today that I’m not sure if I will post which is extremely critical in a funny way, I hope, hence my not being sure whether I will post.

      Cheers

      DC

  11. Robust – of all the comments hardworking and motivated rings true more. For me this is rarely a word I am familliar with…

    1. Yes I don’t recall using it that often myself, I tend to err to the dictionary definition in times of doubt. But words can have different meanings to different people, dictionary definitions vary and also my people’s understanding of the words used to define other words can vary … So not a simple, hence the post !

  12. The point is when, where and for who wanna to use this strong and positive adjective. In general I think is appropriate to apply a synonymous that sounds more delicate to female gender than robust. But..why not? Everything is possible with charisma!

    1. 🙂 well, almost everything is possible with Charisma LOL

      Exactly the point, so, is it more important for me to say what I want to say or more important for me to say what I think the other person wants to hear ?

  13. Well…

    I took a peek at the ‘robust post’ where some cake shop took umbrage in the comments – take it in your stride.

    That image of yours has far more resonance than I originally perceived: beach weddings having a wonderful ghastliness about them – like the tired flash mob, or those super public proposals of marriage virals.

    The back story is fascinating – in the pic – the old groom, slob buddy, sisters, building site in the background, rose petals and priest courtesy of Thai Beach Weddings ltd, all in at kerching $3999.

    Is romantic 🙂

    1. It’s in my stride dude, just getting a handle on it for both future comments, and wording of future posts … I’m a perpetual learner, so welcome others constructive opinions.

      Glad you found some resonance in the image. Posting photos it’s often challenging to think of witty, flowing descriptions of what’s in the photos, I’m not a poet, so best efforts on my part. Having been married and divorced myself, my cynic is definitely present, so what you’ve said about the wedding partly resonates with me.

      I know the area and there is no building site in the photo, and your descriptions are a little on the critical side. However, I asked for opinion and you’ve given me just that. So thanks:)

      I did ask on the post for you to be civil, describing another commenter and reader of my blog as a “some cake shop” isn’t. Nor is it a view I share with you. So please either moderate yourself in this respect or I will do it for you.

      Cheers

      DC

  14. I kind of like the word “robust” but it does seem to imply “large”–which isn’t my favorite way to see myself (whether true or not). LOL! But I think it can also mean strong and healthy and I don’t think we need to “shrink” from that. You have me thinking…when do I take offense? 🙂

  15. I think it will offend some sensitive types and others will say “oh, he means fat” and some people will be indifferent. No matter what we choose to say, there will always be naysayers.
    I wouldn’t want to be called robust, but I am rather sick of seeing underweight women held up as the ideal. I wouldn’t describe Marilyn Monroe as “robust” but I do think she was glamorous, gorgeous, full-figured and fiesty. Of course, my muffin top drives me crazy and I avoid the scale at all costs. I am a product of the American generations who have touted “beautiful” to mean “thin.”

    1. Personally I like some curves, I’m not interested, in that way, in women who are dead skinny, for me it’s not sexy or attractive, looks like starving and extremely unhealthy.

      And you highlighted something I was thinking, in rejecting terms that are “honest” about size, then perhaps this encourages the “only thin is good” paradigm which as indicated I definitely don’t subscribe to, at all. So there could be reasons for using more tactful but positive adjectives to describe larger sized people ?

  16. I don’t have a clue why you can’t use the word ‘Robust’ for someone. I think some people are a tiny bit too sensitive. When I think about the word Robust, the image of a strong tree comes to mind. I don’t see any harm in that! 🙂
    Hugz

  18. I love the adjective robust, Don. I do not think it was the use of that word the red-flagged that wedding-on-the-beach post. I liked your picture, but my one eyebrow raised at your passage about said robust bridesmaid being a guard ready to fend off any attack.

    1. So people say it’s good to be bold and outspoken, but then when one actually does it, one faces is criticism for being bold and outspoken … interesting conundrum, again it’s why I asked the question !

  19. I use the term “robust” often, but not for someone’s physical appearance. That would connotate “full-figured, filled-out”…however, using “robust” to describe someone’s personality would be appropriate. My 2 cents.

  20. My father always called it “zaftig” which I guess in German translates to “well-built”. As a member of the feminine gender, I am not sure exactly how I would take it if someone called me “robust”, I guess it would depend on the person. I, myself, personally prefer voluptuous, but robust would do in a pinch. I am still convinced that at 5’10” and definitely abovea size 8 that I am still a petite flower……not, that’s a huge stretch 😀

    1. Thanks. There’s an interesting angle in here about tact and honesty, versus being blunt, versus lying, that I wasn’t clear on when I posted.

      Obviously it’s subjective and depends on the context. Strangers I don’t let talk to me in the same way as I would a friend, and also depends on delivery, gender, age, etc.

      Warm regards

      DC

      1. I think it is more gender and age specific than anything. Most women would not like being called robust. I have been called sturdy which I am but it doesn’t carry the same connotation as “voluptuous” or similar adjectives. It makes you think of the lunch ladies at school when you were a wee child 🙂

  21. I am proud to be ‘robust’! To me robust means healthy, and implies endurance and strength. Stocky? Muscled? Maybe, but I am that as well. You can call me ‘robust’ any time 🙂

  24. I think its another one of those words that has gained a negative meaning for some people, I think its more about how the person you are saying it to comprehends it that is the problem. To me, being robust, means being strong, to someone else it will mean being stocky, and women don’t like being called stocky…its a maze of vocabulary…

  25. Where I come from, the word robust can mean two different things; One – to be robust means that your body are builded strong and not slimy, but not fat eather, but big an one or another way. Two- to be robust means to be strong minded, able to receive a lot ” also bad words” without taking care in a bad way. If this person goes down, he or she will raise again – without doubt.
    My knowledge about being robust. For me it is a positive word.
    Irene

  26. I am personally of the view that ‘robust’ can be applied to any healthy, robust person. Unfortunately, our society’s conventions are such that to call a woman ‘robust’ would probably be taken as a grave insult. Alas, the tyranny of language.

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