I like a bit of roundness. I just think the way it fills out the back of a pair of jeans looks nice.
I suppose everyone is different, but if I see a nice one I want to grab, pinch, pat or just run my hand over it.
I disagree with this. It’s that they haven’t “earned” the trust required for them to say anything so overtly sexual and base. I can understand, or even expect – if others see me as a sexual being – particularly in a loaded setting like a club or bar – but without any foreknowledge of this person commenting on my body without provocation, I cannot judge their intent and will therefore react in a hostile manner. And any man should understand this.
Of course it’s an exaggeration, but not by much. It’s more of being seen as a collection of body parts, nice or not; they’re clearly not taking into account any feelings or thoughts *I[/] might have in response to their yelling. And that is dehumanizing.
These guys don’t get my pity, but they do get my anger and disdain. I refuse to accept anything coming from the mouths of such stunted cretins as a compliment.
Davebear, please believe that I’m not trying to be dismissive or flip, but I don’t know how much you can understand how embarrassing and intimidating being catcalled can be, especially when you’re little more than a kid and don’t know that these jerks need to be told off to shut them up. Have you ever been in a situation like that?
When I say “nice ass,” I am definitely noting the posterior in question, although like other ladies on this thread, I am likely not to notice an ass connected to an ill-kempt body. I can notice a nice ass on a body that is otherwise unremarkable. Gene Kelly had, circa 1951, the finest male ass ever in the history of film, but I don’t find the rest him that attractive - his face is only above-average. I can and do notice a nice rump (or good hair, or a great voice, or deep eyes) on an ass in the other, unpleasant sense, with a certain amount of regret.
As for what to do with it - it’s both aesthetically pleasing in its own right and, eh, something to hold on to . . .
Uh, I’m female and bi, if it matters.
I think the OP is fairly accurate, at least for me. A guy has to be attractive to me, at a glance, in some capacity, before I would even consider scoping out his backside. That doesn’t mean that when I say, or rather think, “Nice ass” that I’m not commenting on his ass, I am, but I suppose that does imply that I find the rest of him appealing, as well.
~V
What is with your obsession with body parts, Davebear? 
And, I expected you to, to some extent. What I didn’t realize was how personally you would take it. That was my bad judgement, for which I’m truly sorry.
It wasn’t intended as an attack on you. It wasn’t even intended to be about you, personally. I intended it to be a dispassionate discussion of the phenomenon. I must have worded it badly. Please accept my apologies for upsetting and offending you.
It’s probably related to my inability to get my foot out of my mouth.
No apology is necessary, Davebear. I understood it wasn’t an attack or about me, and I was trying to take a general perspective, but it is a personal issue with me. You didn’t upset or offend me, so no worries.
Boy, I jacked up the coding on that one, huh?
When I say “nice ass,” I mean “nice ass”. I don’t think I’ve ever said it to a male I wasn’t close with in some way, but I have said it to girlfriends about random men I’m not acquainted with.
I dunno. I like the way a nice round ass looks in pants. If given the chance, I might wanna run my hands over it or pinch it, I dunno. I do appreciate nice asses, though.
Umm, yeah. It was all that bold text that made me think you were upset. I’m glad you weren’t.
Count me as being in the ‘“Nice ass!” = a nice ass’ camp. I’m more likely to be looking at the ass if it’s not the only attractive feature, but for me, “Nice ass” is a comment on the posterior only.
As to the question of why a nice male ass is attractive to a hetero female such as myself, I’ll concur with other Dopers: Groping, rubbing, a little pinching, some squeezing…
It’s warm in here, isn’t it? Someone turn down that damn thermostat!
Exactly! Exactly.
Jessity, Omorka, Branwen, I see what you’re saying… but I just don’t get it. I dunno.
Hmmm. I suppose, just as some men identify as “tit men” or “leg men,” some women are “ass women” and some aren’t.
Which is probably a good thing. If we all liked exactly the same things, too many people would be left out.
I’m really a brain slut myself, but a sweet voice, great hair, a nice ass, a nicely shaped skull, or deep eyes will all catch my eye. Some people really like hands, which aren’t that important to me. I know a lot of people clearly don’t give a crap about someone’s voice - at least, if the porn in my collection is any indication . . .