# How come alot of women have big bums? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 14, 2001, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875 "2001-03-14T00:45:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vision](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/1 "2001-03-14T00:45:01Z")
I mean not because they are fat, for example: my ex-girlfriend had the biggest ass this side of texas but her tummy was flat as a board. Is it a genetic thing? Does having a big bum help in childbirth? I’m just trying to find the genetic/evolution answer to why women have big arses. If I posted this in the wrong forum, please feel free to move it. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/2 "2001-03-14T00:49:54Z")
Genetics. Plenty of men have big bums. However most women are inclined to have a ‘pear’ figure & men an ‘apple’ (big gut) ---
**Author:** ![coming\_up\_for\_air](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@coming\_up\_for\_air](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coming_up_for_air)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/3 "2001-03-14T00:50:44Z")
There’s a tribe somewhere, in Africa or New Guinea, that I’ve seen on TV where their rear ends were all sticking out, like the shillohettes in cave painting. You could almost rest your drink on the “shelf” of your date’s rear end. But genetics is the only answer. What else is left? Environment? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/4 "2001-03-14T00:57:35Z")
Because society has somehow decided that a “small” bum is smaller than what 90% of women have. ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/5 "2001-03-14T01:28:22Z")
Well, it’s self-esteem issues, you know. These women hook up with rotten boyfriends that just hang around the house doing nothing, because they believe they deserve… oh, you mean _those_ kind of bums… It is a genetic/evolutionary trait for women to have a “big bum” as you so gently put it. Women’s hips are wider than a man’s to facilitate childbirth. Women also have a higher body fat percentage (which is usually stored in the lower half of the body) which is used as stored energy for a pregnancy. The average pregnancy uses approximately 80,000 calories, and the body tries to store enough fat for “a rainy day” as one may put it (hence, when a woman’s body fat percentage reaches a certain low, she will also stop menstruating–her body’s protection from pregnancy when her body would not be necessarily able to handle it). ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/6 "2001-03-14T01:33:38Z")
Yes there is a evolutionary advantage. It takes 9 _million_ calories to carry and nurse a baby. Women store these calories on the thighs and derriere. The calories stored in this area is a different type of fat than what is stored on the abdomen, and is much healthier. It also actually increases fertility. Studies show that men tend to prefer a 70% ratio of waist to hip, and that there is a marked increase in fertility just between a 60% and a 70% ratio. In addition, a large pelvis is advantageous for carrying babies (more room, I think) If I wanted to get below a size 12 jean, I’d have to have bone shaved off my pelvis. 😃 Despite all this, some bozos in our culture insist on putting negative images on women whose body shape is desirable both to men and to evolution. BTW, I can see why she’s your **ex** -girlfriend > [@](#): > > … it is unfair, discriminatory, and destructive that in our society, a woman with [large] hips is made to feel that hse is in some significant way inferior to a woman with [supermodel] hips. Not just less attractive, but distinctly inferior. She is made to understand that society distinctly _disapproves_ of [large] hips and thinks that, if she had sufficient character, she could “do something about them.” - Feeding on Dreams ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/7 "2001-03-14T01:35:44Z")
JavaMaven - ROFL! And we seem to have a disagreement on stats, but either way, it’s a damn lot of calories, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/8 "2001-03-14T01:38:34Z")
So is it 9 million or 80,000? linkety linkety link? ---
**Author:** ![Vision](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/9 "2001-03-14T01:44:18Z")
Thank you all for the informative answers, even though the calorie part is confusing. I don’t really care if a woman has a large derriere, because i’m basically a boob man anyways. ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/10 "2001-03-14T01:51:15Z")
**Zyada** – We do have a major disagreement on calorie stats. According to this site [http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdbaby2.html](http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdbaby2.html), a normal pregnancy requires about an extra 300 calories a day to maintain the pregnancy. This works out to 84,000 calories (2,100 calories a week x 40 weeks). Considering that 3,500 calories equals one pound, that extra 84,000 calories works out to 24 pounds, which is on the low end of expected weight gain for a pregnancy. I remember the 80,000 calorie comment from a program on pregnancy from Discovery Channel. For 9 million calories, that works out to 2,571 pounds. This might just be me, but that’s one big baby. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mermaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@The\_Mermaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mermaid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/11 "2001-03-14T03:01:40Z")
For the scientific answer please refer to JavaMaven’s post. For the true answer listen up. It’s so we can inflict more damage when we are forced to stomp up and down and sit on some insensitive clod who has the nerve to bring up the size of our asses or for that matter any part of our anatomy unless we bring it up first and are desiring to discuss it. I am a real woman and not the product of a diet and exercise regimen that is so rigorous and severe I have lost the ability to bear children. That means I have curvey hips and a round butt. I also have a small waist and an ample bosum. Big deal. My most important asset is above the shoulders. Any man who looks for a woman who is no more than the sum of her body parts deserves what he gets. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/12 "2001-03-14T03:04:20Z")
Well, I got mine many years ago from a Newsweek article - not the best place to get scientific information. OTOH, I think yours could be at least doubled to account for the appearance that 24 pounds is a low number, plus nursing. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/13 "2001-03-14T03:12:07Z")
BTW - has anyone else noticed the distinct sound of “WHOOSH”? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/14 "2001-03-14T03:57:52Z")
After three full-term pregnancies and some serious Jabba-the-Hut style feeding…I’m more inclined to go with the 9 million calorie figure. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/15 "2001-03-14T04:27:41Z")
I know that, compared to other animals, people have big front-brains (and their moms have to pass the bigger skulls), and have all their load-bearing structure in the lower limbs, so the females have a pelvic arch to suit the situation. A better question is how come guys get such fat guts & love handles. I mean, would it flop down to our butts too, if we didn’t cinch it up with our belts? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/16 "2001-03-14T04:54:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Persephone \* > \*\*After three full-term pregnancies and some serious Jabba-the-Hut style feeding…I’m more inclined to go with the 9 million calorie figure. 😃 \*\* Re “Jabba-the-Hut style feeding” is this re feeding yourself or the kids feeding from you ? ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/17 "2001-03-14T05:03:51Z")
The same reason a lot of men have beer bellies… cuz that’s just the way it is. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/18 "2001-03-14T05:30:09Z")
I’ve got a better one… **WHO CARES?** Women are wonderful… all of them. All women are beautiful, all you have to do is look for it… it may not be conventional beauty, it may not be classical beauty, it may be beauty of the soul, but it’s still there… besides, I like a chic with an ass I can bite! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/19 "2001-03-14T06:10:22Z")
My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo. I want to sink her with my pink torpedo. ---
**Author:** ![silent\_rob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@silent\_rob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silent_rob)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875/20 "2001-03-14T06:33:25Z")
…How could I leave this _behind_? Dang, **Snooooopy** , I wasn’t going to post to this thread. But when Tap calls, I listen. Well, I think the original question has already been answered. And since it’s gone that way, I suppose I’ll give my opinion too; I couldn’t care less. I don’t think Cosmo should tell women what they should look like, let alone tell me what I should look for in a woman. The wimmins is _all_ beautiful to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-alot-of-women-have-big-bums/57875.md?page=2)