Described as Amazonian - is this an insult?

[bigkahunaburger]

So many times throughout my adult life I have had my figure being described as 'Amazonian' to my face. I never really understood what it meant, and it just happened again today. I actually asked the person this time what it meant, and they sort of fumbled about looked embarrassed and looked flustered and kept muttering things like, 'big' and 'strong presence'....and it all got a bit awkward. So I'm just curious - is this an insult? a compliment? Ive tried to google it and I'm none the wiser.

Does it mean I look overweight?

Think Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman

I've mostly heard it to mean tall, regardless of other factors - either unusually tall "for a woman", or a woman/girl who's relatively tall versus people around her (family, friend group, etc.) I went to school with two best friends nicknamed Amazon and Pygmy. Neither one was freakishly tall or short - roughly 5'2" and 5'9" - but as they were always together the height difference was noticeable. (Personally, I'd rather be called Amazon, by far!)

There's also Amazon attitude - independent, fierce, self-sufficient, dominant assertive - see Kirsty MacColl's song "Us Amazonians".

Is 'thicc' also 'thin/thick'? - that is what my teens say I am. Which apparently is good nowadays. In my youth this would have been the worst thing ever. The 90s lowrise jeans with your hip bones protruding was all the rage.

Tall, strong, not skinny, powerful, womanly etc. think 90s supermodels or Wonder Woman people.

I’ve been called statuesque by men and I’m 5’1!! I have excellent posture so maybe that’s what was meant but men are not great indicators of such things. Some men have a thing for giant stacked women and equate that with ‘Amazonian’ even though it isn’t correct.

I would describe the tennis star Williams sisters as Amazonian. The Amazons were a mythical tribe of warrior women. So lithe, muscular and impressive.

Gisele would be Amazonian, Kate Moss wouldn't.

Amazonian to me means a big woman in stature. Someone like Julie T Wallace.

The more unflattering description would be 'built like a brick shithouse'.

Yes! Am pleased when I see the girls that the boys my son’s age fancy, they look healthy, and wear whatever they want too. I just wanted to be rail-thin, never managed to see my hipbones even in the grip of some really disordered behaviour😳

@SaintHonoria Hmm, would the brick shithouse description imply that they were overweight and unfit though?

The Amazons in Greek mythology were athletic and physically powerful warriors. They weren’t unfit!

Amazonian = a strapping lass; usually tall and of strong-looking appearance, in my opinion. Maybe, a bit over-whelming?
I would not say its an insult at all.

I would be careful using that term to someone's face as it could be taken the wrong way. To some it might mean big built but to others statuesque, strong and sexy! If the bloke you dated got flustered when questioned about his choice of phrase maybe he realises it could be construed as the opposite of 'dainty' and feminine (by old fashioned standards!). Was he a short, weedy guy?

I have a friend that I describe as Amazonian.

she’s absolutely beautiful and has an amazing figure.

I lost quite a bit of weight several years ago by dieting and exercise. My GP said at the time , 'Well done. You'll never be very slim because you're not narrow, you have a rangy /rangey (?) frame. '
I have never been sure what that meant.

It doesn't mean fat, the amazon women were warriors!

I used to get called a "handsome woman", a lot.
I did not find it complimentary.

What? I look like a bloke?

Didn't seem to stop men trying to get in my pants nor stop them attempting to feel me up.

I've also had, statuesque, imposing and the very lovely, "you, look like you could put me through a brick wall".

I had, "you were always a pretty LITTLE thing", once. That really fucking confused me.

My personal preference is to keep opinions of other people's bodies to myself.

It's easy to look these things up and find out what the should mean. It's quite a different matter to work out if that matches your own body though because we don't necessarily see our own self the way others do. So maybe don't criticise OP for being unsure.

Funny you say that - he said he was 6ft (they always do), and he was my height. I only ever wear Doc martens so it wasnt heels. Why do men do this on dates? Its so silly. Like we aren't going to be able to tell? I wonder if it is because most women are much shorter so maybe they wouldn't be able to tell the difference between 5'10 and 6ft. My husband of 20 years was 5'7" so I really dont care that much about height.

Tall and athletic. It's a compliment.

It’s a compliment. You look impressive in some way.

I am Amazonian and proud!!!
6 feet, size 14, 12 stone 7...I spin 3 times a week, 2 hours of weights and strength training and a yoga class. I'm mid 60s and in better shape than I was 20 years ago.
I've had years of negative comments about my height and now embrace it fully.
I love being slightly imposing 😀

Definitely doesn't mean fat. Tall.

No idea what that means! I had my GP when doing some tests and doing height and weight and bmi he said I had a 'strong complex'. None the wiser there either...

Whatever it means exactly, you can rest assured that he meant it as a compliment, OP. A former “friend” of my DD’s once tried to put her down by suggesting that her then-boyfriend was only going out with her because of her “Amazonian” figure. DD responded that yes, her curves do attract a lot of attention 😂.

I'm 5' 11 and have been called this too. Embrace it!