Difference between a man's woman and a woman's woman

[sonnyday]

Today I heard one mum describe another as "a man's woman, not really a woman's woman" feel a bit stupid asking, but what does it imply and is it an insult?

One of my close friends tells me in exasperation that I'm a "man in disguise": does that make me a man's woman? I'm a bit I get the impression people might see a man's woman as something different.

I have good friends of both sexes but the people I'm closest to are men. And I like football, can talk about the offside rule and drink pints. And I never notice what people wear or whether they've had their hair done...

It's an interesting question.

I would always have said that my friends were mostly women, lots of strong female role models in my life etc.

But, you know what, I married a man and so the most influential/important relationship in my life is with a man.

@ Anyfawker, it turned ugly when this was said 'desperate for male approval'.

Laughable really.

Interesting one. I grew up surrounded by men, lots of brothers and only my mother as a female role model, and she is a bit of a mysoginist really :(

I thought boys were WAY cooler than girls. Girls were dull and silly. I even used to wish I were male. I certainly had no female friends - I thought I was so cool to run with the boys.

Then I grew up a bit. I still adore men. I love their company. I love mixed company. BUT, the more confident I become, the more sure of myself, the more mature and comfortable in my own skin, the more I find my first allegiance is to women. Women are fucking marvellous, and as a woman I would feel a traitor being anything but a woman's woman. And I am proud of every single one of my large group of girl friends.

My personal experience has taught me to equate 'man's woman' with trying to prove something and denying your own sex, and 'woman's woman' with positive spiritual and emotional growth. It just feels healthier.

I'm a woman's woman, although I do like to chat with men at parties and when out because I enjoy their conversation. I have close female friends so chat all time with them, so it's nice to have a chance to mix things up a bit.

I'm surprised at how dimly viewed men's women are; they are seen as predatory when women's men are seen as in touch with their feelings.

How is using the term "desperate for male approval" silly? I am rather confused how anybody could take offence at a simple observation.

Amanda Holden also falls into the 'man's woman pretending to be a woman's woman' catagory

BB, you are a Baroness, so it doesn't matter if you are a mans woman or a woman's woman.cos you're nobility innit?

My lobbing of a goat, was borrowed, think ShineOn did it first, it's meant as a short code for casting doubt on the veracity of an OP...

Yuno says how I feel too!

I no longer care what men think of me, They can think what they like, I know who I am and I know what I'm capable of. The only man's opinion I care about it that of my DS.

foosa - anthea turner also a man's woman in woman's woman clothing - i can spot this type mile off

Surely it's more are you a woman or a woman-hating woman? Who your friends are is often down to your career or background or activities you enjoy doing. Most of my friends to go down the pub with are male, but that's because of my earlier group of friends more of the women have moved away. I have male and female friends that I keep in touch with and miss and enjoy talking to.

I associate "man's woman" as being a woman who values the opinion of men more than that of women - someone who "plays up" to any man because his approval means more to her than that of women. This kind of woman will ignore a woman to talk to the man next to her, because she doesn't value women, she thinks men are more important and seeks their approval.

TBF you get men who dislike/distrust other men as well. I have a few male friends who have always been awkward around other men.

I don't know.

I confess I get on well with men. And I am definitely not a gorgeous flirty little minx (pause while mind boggles furiously at the very idea). But maybe I have had to do so of those by dint of working with them almost exclusively all these years. I have donned the mantle of honorary man - it's easier that way.

I also get on well with women but I find it easier in small groups. I find a huge crowd of women a little daunting.

dione I'm with you on this one...think OP heard the comment as it was meant to be an insult - as many posters are attesting to the fact they see "men's women" as flirtatious, over-blow-dried, husband-stealing wechnes, which isn't what I'd class as a "man's woman" at all, but do recognise the kind of women you're all referring to.

Because there are also the women's women who set out to despise men and treat them as a lesser breed of humanity.

Think there is a substantial difference between man's woman/woman's woman, and man-hating/woman-hating woman. I absolutely don't value men's opinion over women's, but I think the difference for me is I'm not a 'girly' girl who is part of a massive group of girls which can't be infiltrated...I've bene part of those groups and they're scary and intimidating and encourage relationships with men to be only about tying them around your little finger.

Cheryl Cole - Woman's woman

grace - thank goodness you've found the right description. I think I am a blokey woman. Phew...all these man-eating girly stereotypes were terrifying me.

can you be both??

I'm thinking about this toooooo much!

I think what the woman the OP heard would definitaly have been an insult and meaning 'type of woman who is desperate for male attention' but this type of woman doesn't actually like women or men. Mind you, sometimes the term is used about women who basically don't do 'femininity' ie no high heels or skirts or make up, genuine interest in fun things that are supposed to be reserved for men's entertainment only and this is a criticism of a woman for refusing to be stereotyped. 'Woman's woman' can sometimes mean 'vapid shoe consumer who talks about feelings all the time' as well.

I get along really well with men and have lots of close male friends, but I wouldn't consider myself a "man's woman".

IMO, that phrase makes me think of a predatory type of woman who flirts with other women's partners, "forgets" other women's names even though she has met them a hundred times, and generally directs all her attention to the men in the room.

These women also wonder why they have no female friends, or think that other women are "jealous" of them. I have known women like this and I have never been jealous of them, but I steer clear of them because they are insincere and manipulative, and I have no time for that.

I've only ever heard it as an insult. Usually code speak for, 'slag who dared to talk to my husband' or 'woman who is far too good looking for her own good'

Anyone that uses it is, for me, a good indicator of 'someone I'm going to avoid in future.'

I don't think I've ever heard "man's woman" in any context other than subtly-veiled insult/warning. I've certainly never heard anybody described as a woman's woman in real life conversation!

I would take the usage of it as shorthand for a certain type of untrustworthy amoral lady who uses her womanly wiles to get where she wants to go and doesn't treat women OR men particularly nicely - these days people probably don't beat around the bush so much and just say "nasty piece of work", but at the school gate I can see why the substitution may have been made...

I have come across a few in my time and they are very different to the Marilyn Monroe-style "little girl lost", who may be very sexually attractive to men and not have many girlfriends, but are not unpleasant folk and would not deliberately step on anyone. I had a college friend like this, she was so beautiful people rarely bothered to actually speak to her, though she was a sweet, gentle person with a lovely sense of humour and a keen sense of sisterhood!

I hoped to be rather more succint than this - never mind.
What I am trying to say is that NOBODY likes a man's woman, the way I understand the term.

I've always had a couple of best friends who are girls and the rest of my mates are guys, I've never really liked hanging around with groups of women as in my experiences they have been quite bitchy - obviously this is just the groups I have come across - to me and to each other. At school I always had a group of mixed male/female mates and found the majority of girls who hung around in girl groups didn't like me much, seems to be similar (if not quite so pronounced) in my adut life too. When I've found a woman who I get on with really well the relationship has always been very close and I really value it. I grew up with 3 brothers so maybe this is a factor?!

I don't think I am either - stupid labels IMO, suggesting that you must be one or the other.

to me the term man's woman is someone who is predator and only pretends to get on better with men in order to get what she wants,

a woman's woman (or girly girl) knows about social boundaries and would not flirt with your dh, she is still just as pretty but she does not use her looks in a threatening way. think girl next door type.