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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to question what people mean by calling someone (Hannah Waddingham) a real woman?

198 replies

WorldCupWillie · 24/06/2026 10:47

A few stories about Hannah Waddingham over the last day or two. Cue a lot of real woman/all woman comments. From men and women. What do they mean? That she's not trans? That she's never had work done?

I mean, Susan Boyle, Mary Beard, Kathy Burke, Jo Brand are "all woman"/real women, as real as Hannah. But nobody would say that about them.

OP posts:
TerriersTerriersTerriers · 24/06/2026 21:15

I don’t know but I do know that she is and always has been a nasty bully.

MandemChickenShop · 24/06/2026 21:34

she's mega in Benidorm

Cazziebo · 24/06/2026 22:02

crushedgrapes · 24/06/2026 11:27

She looks very empowered, strong and confident to me, like Kate Winslet. Inhabiting her feminine power.
I think these women are inspiring and beautiful

Agree with this! I think she’s gorgeous and seems so genuine. I love the video of Hannah doing Love Shack. She just exudes confidence. Great role model.

(And she has the most fabulous arms)

Waitingfordoggo · 24/06/2026 22:06

I don’t see ‘a whole lot of woman’ as a compliment in the same way others do. It is probably usually intended as a compliment, but it just means ‘very large’ when you think about it. I suppose the logical opposite is to tell petite women ‘you’re not much of a woman’ which is definitely not a compliment.

Waitingfordoggo · 24/06/2026 22:07

I do tend to take things quite literally though so maybe that’s just me.

CatesandAle · 24/06/2026 22:09

crushedgrapes · 24/06/2026 11:27

She looks very empowered, strong and confident to me, like Kate Winslet. Inhabiting her feminine power.
I think these women are inspiring and beautiful

Yeah, everyone seems to be assuming it’s ’real woman’ as opposed to male or trans, but I’d be inclined to think the people who call her a real woman mean she has the vibe of a woman not a girl. Which stands out because generally actresses are prized for maintaining girlishness as long as possible, think of all those rom coms with Jennifer Aniston or Reese Witherspoon where they’re in their 30s but still wearing pastels and tripping around ditsily and being cute. Which is fine if that’s what comes naturally to you, but HW’s vibe is different.

WorldCupWillie · 24/06/2026 22:13

TerriersTerriersTerriers · 24/06/2026 21:15

I don’t know but I do know that she is and always has been a nasty bully.

How do you know this?

OP posts:
NoCommentingFromNowOn · 24/06/2026 22:14

TerriersTerriersTerriers · 24/06/2026 21:15

I don’t know but I do know that she is and always has been a nasty bully.

Really? I’ve not heard anything like this. Where are you getting it from?

WorldCupWillie · 24/06/2026 22:15

She comes over as supportive of other women so it's surprising.

OP posts:
MrsClattenburg · 24/06/2026 22:17

Beauty absolutely is in the eye of the beholder.

To me, HW is nothing like some of these posts rave about, but hey we like what we like 🤷‍♀️

ThatCyanCat · 24/06/2026 22:19

Someone I know worked with her in theatre years ago and said she was a total sweetheart. She's a wonderful singer. Google says she has no professional training but I can't believe that.

Gowlett · 24/06/2026 22:22

When my granny would say “you’re a fine girl” I used to take that as me being fat (back in the days before I was fat, of course!)

Real Woman I usually take to mean a woman who has all of the hallmarks of female attractiveness, big boobs, shapely legs, defined waist, nice face, good hair…

saraclara · 24/06/2026 22:38

Lieben · 24/06/2026 12:32

TBF the women I’ve come across that would be described as bold and brassy could start a fight in an empty room. You wouldn’t want them to take a dislike to you.

Exactly! I don't know why people have taken such offence at that poster's description. I get exactly what she meant.

I think HW is amazing and very attractive. But I also get that her confidence, the way she carries herself, and her facial bone structure and pulled back hair (in Ted Lasso) definitely gives a 'don't mess with ne' kind of scary vibe! I wouldn't need with her!

saraclara · 24/06/2026 22:59

saraclara · 24/06/2026 22:38

Exactly! I don't know why people have taken such offence at that poster's description. I get exactly what she meant.

I think HW is amazing and very attractive. But I also get that her confidence, the way she carries herself, and her facial bone structure and pulled back hair (in Ted Lasso) definitely gives a 'don't mess with ne' kind of scary vibe! I wouldn't need with her!

Mess with her, rather! Stupid autocorrect.

5128gap · 24/06/2026 23:09

Men mean she has an hourglass figure with large breasts.
Women mean she isnt thin and doesn't have a flat stomach.

darksideofthetoon · 25/06/2026 06:48

From a guys perspective, I took it to mean a woman is curvy, busty with wide hips and all natural.

There are many guys who see this as a very positive thing.

AClassicTrenchcoat · 25/06/2026 07:24

She is the type of woman you would see painted on the tailgate of an American fighter plane in WWII.

Apart from being striking to look at, she carries herself well. She is very tall and makes herself even taller by wearing high heels. No being self conscious of her height for her. Stands up straight, no rounded shoulders to make her self look smaller.

Her looks, together with her many talents, make her so unusual these days when there isn’t much to differentiate between female celebrities. She is confident but not arrogant, warm and positive. Up for a laugh. She dresses very well in the main, old school glamour.

You can see presenters on shows, both male and female, like The One Show and Good Morning, absolutely mesmerised by her, and they see a lot of global celebrities. She just has It.

I have seen people allude to her being a bully at school in other threads, and someone has popped up here to say she was a bully without contextualising it. If she was a bully at school, that would have been 30 plus years ago, when she was a child. People hopefully change in that time, I know I have. She is loved in the industry.

As a middle aged woman in a sexist industry she has carved out a path for herself in a glorious way and gives hope to other women during these tricky times years when UK society seems to want middle aged women to disappear.

In my view, Hannah is a good thing.

LeBonBon · 25/06/2026 08:08

People get so bent out of shape with these things it is ridiculous. If you were born a woman, you're "all woman" no matter the shape or size.

That said, "all woman" to me is very high praise indeed and probably means you've got all the hallmarks of an ideal figure - round hips for easier childbearing, small waist, big boobs. Not skinny and not fat. It's not rocket science surely?

WildLeader · 25/06/2026 08:19

I think she’s awesome! I have a major girl crush on her, she is so imposing. She’s strong, incredibly feminine, she exudes power and positivity. She takes her place in the world with confidence and grace. She’s formidable and Amazonian

If THAT’S not the description of a Real Woman, I don’t know what is.

(I do so hope she sees this. 😍)

nickyschof · 25/06/2026 08:58

To anyone saying the she has had Botox done, she has videoed herself doing her night time skincare routine. In that, she states that she hasn't had any done, and won't as she is scared of needles. She uses facial oils etc.

CruCru · 25/06/2026 09:03

I remember seeing her in Spamalot. She is a really great singer / musical theatre actress.

Plus she presented the Eurovision Song Contest with Graham Norton in French. Apparently loads of French people were posting “Who is this marvellous woman?”

sweetpotatowedgeswithmayo · 25/06/2026 09:07

I hate this term. As a tall, skinny, flat chested woman I suspect I am not counted as a ‘real woman’ (even though my uterus would suggest otherwise)
Sigh. I had to look this lady up as I hadn’t heard of her - she’s very good looking but no more real than I am.

OtterlyAstounding · 25/06/2026 09:09

I agree with @Sartre that she looks a little scary at times - for me it's her expression when she smiles. It has a weirdly predatory (as in vampire, perhaps) edge to it. Can't (and wouldn't) fault her looks otherwise, there's just something about her smile that sets me on edge.

The 'real woman' phrasing is irritating - it implies that other women who are different to her are somehow 'fake women' or lesser women. Ridiculous.

Waitingfordoggo · 25/06/2026 10:17

I’m not sure round hips are necessarily easier for childbearing are they @LeBonBon? I know logic might suggest so, but my anecdata says it doesn’t make much difference. Many of my curvaceous friends had trouble giving birth; boy-hipped me birthed my babies with ease.

HW has a lovely physique. I think those of us with no hips sometimes can feel quite unfeminine during these sorts of conversations. I guess I’m grateful I found a man who doesn’t mind an athletic physique.

orangesandwich · 25/06/2026 10:26

5128gap · 24/06/2026 23:09

Men mean she has an hourglass figure with large breasts.
Women mean she isnt thin and doesn't have a flat stomach.

This. I think HW is an absolute goddess.

She's sexy and amazonian. I think thats so attractive but then I far prefer that strong, fit look to women who are teeny tiny and weak looking. For example- I saw a pic of Demi Moore recently and she looks like her skeleton is about to crumble into dust- so skinny and emaciated