Comments on: can a man be voluptuous?

Question: can a man be voluptuous?

brandz — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:05:50 -0800

can a man be voluptuous?

this is a question that has been floating around my workplace for a few years now. i get all kinds of answers. what do you think, either way, and why?

By: Airhen

Airhen — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:12:42 -0800

A man can exude sensuality, which means yes if you're going by the dictionary. However, I always think of "voluptuous" as describing a pleasingly shapely woman, so when I picture a "voluptuous man," I just see man boobs, and, to me, that is not pleasingly shapely.

I bet most of the voluptuous men are in Italy. (The sensual kind, I mean ...)

By: TimeFactor

TimeFactor — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:19:58 -0800

I'd use "voluptuary" for "devoted to sensual pleasure" and reserve "voluptuous" for curvy women, but the dictionary disagrees with me.

By: Anizev

Anizev — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:20:45 -0800

I agree with Airhen.

The connotation I have with the word is definitely a feminine one. I just picture a shapely, busty, attractive woman when I hear it. Men need not apply.

Although now I may very well picture man-boobs when I hear the term and for that I am very sad.

By: LeeJay

LeeJay — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:25:03 -0800

I think if you're talking about the dictionary definition of the word, then yes. I have known quite a few men who are "giving, characterized by, or suggesting ample, unrestrained pleasure to the senses" and/or "characterized by or devoted to pleasure and luxury as a lifestyle". But the word as commonly used has taken on a very specific and very feminine meaning.

When I hear the word "voluptuous" I automatically think of a curvy, sensual, sexual woman. If I heard someone describe a man as voluptuous I would immediately think of a man with ample, womanly curves. Although, come to think of it, I have also met more than one man with ample womanly curves so my answer would still have to be yes. Whether or not the label is a flattering one? Harder to say.

By: Ken McE

Ken McE — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:27:11 -0800

Men can be other things, but in American English, men are not voluptuous.

By: PurplePorpoise

PurplePorpoise — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:29:15 -0800

Voluptuous for me means big breasts, wide & generous hips.

So, it's possible for a man to possess similar qualities, but is hardly associated with mainstream (positive) sexuality.

Perhaps "beefcake" or "hunk" (think Chippendales) are the male equivalents to that adjective?

By: pompomtom

pompomtom — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:52:47 -0800

I think a man can be voluptuous... by which I mean curvy in a good way. I'm thinking sumo wrestlers here.

By: DawnSimulator

DawnSimulator — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:54:51 -0800

Golly, I thought you were asking permission for men to be curvacious. So---man titties? Absolutely NOT. I'm with anizev on this one. Devoted to pleasure and luxury as a lifestyle? Uh, have this guy call my cell.

By: bingo

bingo — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 21:32:12 -0800

No. If the dictionary disagrees, then that dictionary is not in tune with the way people today use the word, at least in the US.

By: brandz

brandz — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 21:34:59 -0800

the dictionary ascribes no gender to the word voluptuous yet people seem to.

By: booksandlibretti

booksandlibretti — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 21:53:53 -0800

I know what the dictionary says, but here is the real answer: Yes, but only if he has serious gynecomastia. And a push-up bra.

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:00:29 -0800

A man can't be voluptuous in the sense of having giant milky breasts and wide child-bearing hips, no.

But a man can be voluptuous in the sense of being a bit thicker here and there, and/or a bit better endowed in the bum department, than standard-issue hotties on tv, but still be not-unattractive.

Compared to celebrities now, someone like Shatner in prime Kirk green-chick-of-the-week era might be "voluptuous."

By: rob511

rob511 — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:06:51 -0800

Sure.

By: madman

madman — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:06:59 -0800

Salma Hayek is voluptuous. Kevin James isn't. ;)

By: travosaurus

travosaurus — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:17:40 -0800

They can be curvy and "ample" but calling a man veloptuous is a negative comment.

By: tangerine

tangerine — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:30:23 -0800

Just last night I was talking to a hefty male friend about this very thing. In a fit of self-deprecation, he was saying that society obviously doesn't value big guys because there's no vocabulary for describing them as attractive - whereas women can be curvy, voluptuous, zaftig, or whatever all else.

I know lots of sexy big guys, but I'm not sure how to describe them except as such. Men of substance?

By: Triode

Triode — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 00:41:08 -0800

BHM - big, handsome man is common usage within the appreciative community.

By: PY

PY — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 00:43:41 -0800

Chunky hunks? Chubbylicious? Big teddy bears?

Yes, I think men can be voluptuous and women can be handsome. Men can also be pretty and alluring.

By: pracowity

pracowity — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 06:14:08 -0800

Lots of women's shapes are sexy, which is what "voluptuous" used to mean, but the word has been used as a sort of euphemism for a specific variety of sexy -- the busty and curvy, small waist and big hips variety, and not, for example, the equally sexy thin and slinky variety -- for so long now that it would be impossible to apply "voluptuous" positively to the average man in a way that the average man would take as a compliment. A voluptuous man is busty, curvy, maybe a transvestite.

By: suni

suni — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 06:50:30 -0800

i would not see it as a compliment

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 07:56:57 -0800

Calling a man voluptuous is like calling a table sexy. People would know what you meant but it also involves a small repurposing of a word that people are more used to hearing in different contexts.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 10:26:59 -0800

in American English, men are not voluptuous.

This is true.

By: brandz

brandz — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 16:16:43 -0800

i like beefcake as an alternative.

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 19:24:32 -0800

If you are looking for complimentary terms for obese men, I think your best bet would be a "bear of a man" and not voluptuous, as it implies strength and hirsuteness to go along with the size, both qualities associated with "manliness" and thus more of a physical compliment.

This is said by someone who is definitely at the moment a heavy man. If someone called me a "bear of a man," I'd consider it complimentary. (Alternatively, it bugs the hell out of me when panhandlers start their routine by using stuff like, 'hey, big guy,' or words to that effect.)