i see a handsome woman walking down the street...

here's an interesting topic that came up in discussion today in between classes; what exactly IS meant by describing a woman as "handsome"?

i don't think a handsome woman is necessarily ugly, manly, or unfeminine; although it wouldn't surprise me if that's what some men (or women) may mean by it. then again, i do live in america. what are your takes on this touchy adjective?

i would love to hear from both ladies and gents!

 

In America it is always used as a male adjective, but It is also used to describe something that is generally good or attractive..like
"What a handsome boat!"
or
"He was paid a handsome amount"


But not in America.....So I'm sure in other cultures it is just an adjective meaning attractive, and used as such.

But then again, that is just this ladies take on it!

 

I'd call Amelie Mauresmo a 'handsome woman', and what I mean by that is that she looks like a very handsome man, like if she was a man, he would very good looking. So yeah, it's how I describe a manly looking woman, who has attractive features.

 

In the mid-1900s down, handsome was very commonly used for women. If you read a lot of classic American literature, you'll even see guys described as pretty quite often.
Feminism has had some backwards effects on our culture. It has in some ways separated women and men more socially (affecting both genders in some positive ways and a lot of negative ways.)
One of the ways in which feminism has divided us is by changing our speech. We now have reserved words for good looking boy and good looking girl.
The best I can tell, not bothering looking it up, but through context, is that handsome is meant to describe good looking strong features.
Whereas pretty is more for the softer look.

 

I'd totally let her dominate me. Uhm,,in tennis, that is.

edit: Second thought,,nawww,,fuck it.

 

A woman that looks like a boy.

 

All lesbians trying to look like a man are handsome