# Physically strong women - Do you hold back so as not to intimidate men or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 3, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911 "2008-11-03T19:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/1 "2008-11-03T19:32:27Z")
Well do ya? Do you go the helpless girly route, of do you take the ketchup bottle he can’t open and twist the top off? ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/2 "2008-11-03T19:35:57Z")
Nnoooo… in my experience, guys like it when a girl is strong. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/3 "2008-11-03T19:36:16Z")
No way. I fancy guys who are turned on by strong women. It’s kind of a test. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/4 "2008-11-03T19:36:34Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Well do ya? Do you go the helpless girly route, of do you take the ketchup bottle he can’t open and twist the top off? No. I simply married a man stronger than me. Although if it’s just us girls I’m always to go-to chick to open the baby food jars. The helpless girly route is fucking nonsense, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![dactylic\_hexameter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@dactylic\_hexameter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dactylic_hexameter)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/5 "2008-11-03T19:52:36Z")
gimme that jar! but seriously, I don’t hold back. I’m strong, I’m well proportioned for carrying/lifting stuff (broad shoulders + hips), and I’m pretty proud of it. However, I am most attracted to really big lumberjack type guys (lots of hair on chest, broad shoulders, no visible neck, if you play/watch rugby, think tight five) who make me feel small/protected. go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/6 "2008-11-03T19:58:10Z")
It would be pretty silly for me to act as if I am weak, so I don’t. I am still not quite as strong as I would like, though. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/7 "2008-11-03T20:22:46Z")
> [@dactylic\_hexameter](#): > > gimme that jar! > but seriously, I don’t hold back. I’m strong, I’m well proportioned for carrying/lifting stuff (broad shoulders + hips), and I’m pretty proud of it. However, I am most attracted to really big lumberjack type guys (lots of hair on chest, broad shoulders, no visible neck, if you play/watch rugby, think tight five) who make me feel small/protected. go figure. Yeah me too. All I gotta do to detract guys from the massiveness of my hands is to show them how good those hands are at giving massages, and any possible turn-off becomes a turn-on. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/8 "2008-11-03T20:42:49Z")
Hell no. Why would I? I’d rather do things on my own anyway than wait for someone to help me. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/9 "2008-11-03T20:49:28Z")
No way. Even if I’m not in the shape I used to be, I’ve worked really hard this last couple of years to get some of it back. There’s no way I’m hiding my work. Plus, if I hold back on something as stupid as a jar or lifting a box, that means I have to wait that much longer for my obstacle to be removed. I’m just not that patient. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/10 "2008-11-03T20:54:52Z")
Well, my husband is seriously stronger than me, but I’m strong for a chick. I don’t ask for help, though, unless I know a task is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/11 "2008-11-03T20:58:28Z")
This reminds me of a woman I met at least 12 years ago. She asked me what I would think of a woman who was stronger than me, or could pin me in a wrestling contest. She also asked me what I would do if the world dropped out from under me - like when Y2K came and computers stopped working and I would have to find a new career. Strong women don’t bother me. Crazy women do. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/12 "2008-11-03T21:08:33Z")
I’ve worked way too hard to be as strong as I am to try and hide it. Besides, my husband loves the fact that I’m strong. Who needs to go find another guy to help you do heavy lifting when you have your wife around? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/13 "2008-11-03T21:09:45Z")
Hold back? I show off. Boo-ya, motherfuckers. (Unless the lid is on really, really tight and there’s no hot water around.) ---
**Author:** ![Libre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85e7bf/32.png) [@Libre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Libre)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/14 "2008-11-03T21:20:53Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > Boo-ya, motherfuckers. Not attractive! (Otherwise, I like strong women.) ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/15 "2008-11-03T21:30:19Z")
For a while I dated a robust woman who was one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known. Once when a playful wrestling match started I suddenly realized I wasn’t completely sure I could win. It was a bit startling at first. I had to try much harder than I had with any other woman because of her size and physical strength. I thought I had won, until I read this thread. :o Maybe she let me. Although it surprised me at the time to realize my date was probably as strong as I was it never changed how I felt about her wonderful personality and sweet nature. Fortunately when we finally broke up she decided not to kick my ass. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/16 "2008-11-03T22:30:27Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > For a while I dated a robust I mis-read this as “For a while I dated a robot” and thought “THIS is going to be good!” ---
**Author:** ![Lugubrious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@Lugubrious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lugubrious)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/17 "2008-11-03T22:48:10Z")
Nope. I love that I’m stronger than many men I meet. I’ve never been a delicate girly girl, and probably never will. I was raised on a farm where hard work and dirt were just the way life was. I was a caterer for seven years, slugging crates of dishes (heavier than you think) and working 70 hours a week. I loved it. ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/18 "2008-11-03T23:08:49Z")
Do many guys like the helpless female act? I don’t feign helplessness in any area (physical strength, math, automotive maintenance, etc.) to seem like a stereotypical female. Honestly, it’s never occurred to me to do so. Does it even work? I’ve yet to meet a guy who initially likes my physical appearance and personality only to be turned off because I can change a tire. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/19 "2008-11-04T00:15:43Z")
Nah, why the heck would I want a guy to think I couldn’t do something for myself? That is like faking orgasms. If you pretend the first time you either have to pretend forever or tell the guy you lied and neither option sounds very good to me. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911/20 "2008-11-04T00:44:14Z")
> [@Libre](#): > > Not attractive! > > (Otherwise, I like strong women.) Then I assume you don’t swear yourself? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physically-strong-women-do-you-hold-back-so-as-not-to-intimidate-men-or-not/470911.md?page=2)