KELLY

While girly boys are not my idea of (brace for politically incorrect statement), ?real? men, I totally love a macho woman!

A woman who can order a scotch on the rocks instead of the everybody-drinks-me vodka and cranberry should get a pat on the back. Sometimes people tend to forget that women who play sports do have a feminine side. It?s not just about fretting about vanity pounds and spending hours in front of the mirror. There are real women who don?t need makeup to look good.

I can appreciate so-called dainty women who ?can?t mash ants?. In some ways, I think I actually prefer them but only because I?m not the volatile type myself. Furthermore what she lacks in physical strength, she can more than make up for in attitude. But the ?big bad girls? need and deserve love too. Some guys would never date a bodybuilder for example. But I would. So what if she can do more push-ups than me? It doesn?t matter. Curl a 50-pound weight? Not a problem! One of us needs to be athletic, so why not her?

Also, there is the possibility that even though she looks gruff, she?s a cutie at heart.

I remember a young lady, an athlete, who transferred to my high school. Because of her powerful running style, I na?vely figured she would sound how she ran: bullish. So imagine my surprise when one day, while watching our track teams training, I heard her giggle. Not the hefty type of chuckle that I expected. Then I heard her speak. A baby voice emanated from a throat I expected would produce a deep-throated, bass-like monotone. I think that experience taught me to never judge a book by the cover.

Now, there is a downside to having a not so ?girly? girl. She might want to fight all your battles for you. Or want to fight you perennially. Or, she might expect you to be macho yourself. But if you?re not much of a fighter, she might be your manna from heaven. But having a companion like that doesn?t make you pathetic. Cowering in fear every time the thunder rolls does.

The way I see it, any guy who is grossed out by a muscular, robust, testosterone-emitting female is really admitting that he isn?t man enough to be with her.

So, while you might want your girl/wife/significant other to be a ?lady? (and that has so many definitions), it?s good to know she can roll up her sleeves and change the tyre or open your beer with her teeth. Now that?s my kind of girl!