I’m sorry I said your wife looked “sturdy.” I stand by what I said but I understand how you may have interpreted things differently than how I meant them.
If a positive attribute like “sturdiness” can’t be applied to a woman, maybe the real issue here is your limited definition of femininity. I wasn’t being rude—I was being an ally.
My friend was frantic before his dissertation defense; a real mess. He came out of the elevator followed by his girlfriend who was carrying a stack of about eight of his library books to return. The department assistant chided him for making her carry the books. "It's ok," he said. "She's sturdy."
