Car just drove by and one of the guys in it made the ππ gesture out the window at me.
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@blainsmith @Colman @rbphotographic @alice when I was pretty young (15 or 16), my mom would send me to the store. Once a man blocked me between his car and mine and tried to get me to go home and have sex with him for money in the grocery store parking lot. Catcalls were common when I was younger and lived in the Midwest or Boston. In Seattle, I had someone ask me out in the pasta aisle. If itβs hot and I wear a dress people will make creepy (but probably what they think are complimentary) comments. My 60-ish year old neighbor made a point of interrupting me and commenting when I was washing my car on my driveway in a tennis dress.
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@sebastian@mastodon.sebfox.net @Aprazeth
You associate yourself with βthemβ with your replies here.
The correct response is not to argue about the word βall.β
The correct response is to go out and educate men, call out men, do the emotional/intellectual labour that is so often dumped on others.
Your nitpicking the word βallβ makes you part of the problem. Do your part to fix the problem instead.
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@blainsmith @Colman @rbphotographic @alice when I was pretty young (15 or 16), my mom would send me to the store. Once a man blocked me between his car and mine and tried to get me to go home and have sex with him for money in the grocery store parking lot. Catcalls were common when I was younger and lived in the Midwest or Boston. In Seattle, I had someone ask me out in the pasta aisle. If itβs hot and I wear a dress people will make creepy (but probably what they think are complimentary) comments. My 60-ish year old neighbor made a point of interrupting me and commenting when I was washing my car on my driveway in a tennis dress.
@irene @blainsmith @rbphotographic @alice and here I am trying to figure out non-creepy ways of complimenting my younger but adult ballerina colleagues on their dancing.
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@alice a lot of replies to this make me think that hopefully I'm probably doing the right thing by acting "antisocial" around women in public. I'm gay/queer, but cis and I pass for straight, so I just assume women who don't know me will perceive me as a potential threat. It's fine, my dog and I can step off the sidewalk and give you space.
@wbud I also get plenty of guys (often with dogs) waving and saying hi when I go for walks. The difference is that the non-creepy ones wave and say hi, then continue walking. The creepy ones make different gestures.
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@blainsmith @Colman @rbphotographic @alice I get hot easily but I canβt wear clothing that is too βskimpyβ and of course thereβs the classic being sent home from school because your tank top is βdistractingβ the boys. Note that our school didnβt have AC ..
@irene perhaps we should send the boys home for being distracted instead.
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@irene perhaps we should send the boys home for being distracted instead.
@alice @irene @blainsmith @rbphotographic well *obviously*. And I know teenage boys are hopeless, but surely in a mixed school they just get used to it? (Boys only was common here when I was young so I guess if you introduced string tops weβd have been distracted for a week or two.)
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@Jaimieserotica
I often catch myself wondering "why would people do their run/jog on the pavement of the South Circular (one of the rather polluted ring road not far from where I live in London) and then I remember it's all a matter of feelings safer here than in a nearby park after dusk...
@rbphotographic @alice@jfparis @rbphotographic
Exactly that. And then you're wondering what you can wear and what you shouldn't wear. I wear sports leggings to run in because they are the most comfortable thing but, you want a dark colour so they don't draw attention and a tee-shirt which isn't too fitted. I always wear either a beanie or a baseball cap to cover my hair and would never run outside in shorts, unless I'm with other people.
It's actually fucking exhausting to have to think like this... -
@irene @Colman @rbphotographic @alice I hate this for all of you and it terrifies me for the sake of my 11 y/o daughter no matter how strong mentally and physically she is. Nothing justifies this kind of behavior.
@blainsmith @Colman @rbphotographic I was in 8th grade, when the same thing from a driving car happend. Also, same year a guy in a very shady trench coat totally flashed three of my friends and me.
I think, I lost count of times something happend.
And yes to the description somewhere down here: men wonder where the butter is. I wonder if I get home safe.
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@wbud I also get plenty of guys (often with dogs) waving and saying hi when I go for walks. The difference is that the non-creepy ones wave and say hi, then continue walking. The creepy ones make different gestures.
@alice need a gesture that is similar to "I like your shoelaces"
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@sebastian Your concern for Aliceβs wording instead of the messaging says a lot about your priorities and itβs definitely not about Aliceβs safety nor anyone elseβs who shares this kind of experience about men.

@stephaniepixie
Downloading this image and keeping it for other appropriate occasions. Thank-you. -
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@alice a lot of replies to this make me think that hopefully I'm probably doing the right thing by acting "antisocial" around women in public. I'm gay/queer, but cis and I pass for straight, so I just assume women who don't know me will perceive me as a potential threat. It's fine, my dog and I can step off the sidewalk and give you space.
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With all respect to all participants in any discussion, this is what I consider problematic behaviour. #blockwart

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@Colman one of the insidious things is that it's *so* easy to miss when you're not the target.
Of the 4 people in the car (one girl, 3 guys), only the guy making the gesture, and the guy laughing next to him seemed aware of it. So besides me and the two who found it funny, no one else on that busy street noticed.
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@irene @blainsmith @rbphotographic @alice and here I am trying to figure out non-creepy ways of complimenting my younger but adult ballerina colleagues on their dancing.
@Colman "you are impressively talented", "you are an amazing dancer", "I'm humbled to share a stage with someone who puts in so much effort".
Say it lightly, around other people, and then continue whatever else you were doing and let them decide whether or how to take your compliment. If they chase you up to say thanks, then you did good. If they don't, then you said something kind and that's all there is to it.
I hear a lot of guys saying things like "I don't know how to compliment a woman", and my best answer is that you do it without expecting anything in return. Most people can tell when a compliment is genuine and when it's manipulative.
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@Colman "you are impressively talented", "you are an amazing dancer", "I'm humbled to share a stage with someone who puts in so much effort".
Say it lightly, around other people, and then continue whatever else you were doing and let them decide whether or how to take your compliment. If they chase you up to say thanks, then you did good. If they don't, then you said something kind and that's all there is to it.
I hear a lot of guys saying things like "I don't know how to compliment a woman", and my best answer is that you do it without expecting anything in return. Most people can tell when a compliment is genuine and when it's manipulative.
@alice @Colman @blainsmith @rbphotographic Rule of thumb: comment on things that are changeable and they worked on, like your extension is great or you are looking solid on those turns. Absolutely do not comment on things they cannot control, like you look beautiful or you have lovely legs. For example, sometimes people say to me: you have beautiful hair and itβs weird because like itβs just my hair? What am I suppose to respond, thanks I grew it myself? I also make it a rule not to comment on peopleβs appearance at work.
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@alice need a gesture that is similar to "I like your shoelaces"
@wbud smiling and waving works pretty well.
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Car just drove by and one of the guys in it made the

gesture out the window at me.Not sure if it was an observation based on my aesthetic, or the threat of a
good time
, but either way...guys, this is why y'all're still single.@alice ewww! And men have the gall to ask βwhy wonβt anyone date me!β
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@stephaniepixie
Downloading this image and keeping it for other appropriate occasions. Thank-you.@GinevraCat Iβve had since my days on the bird app and it has come in handy

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@alice @Colman @blainsmith @rbphotographic Rule of thumb: comment on things that are changeable and they worked on, like your extension is great or you are looking solid on those turns. Absolutely do not comment on things they cannot control, like you look beautiful or you have lovely legs. For example, sometimes people say to me: you have beautiful hair and itβs weird because like itβs just my hair? What am I suppose to respond, thanks I grew it myself? I also make it a rule not to comment on peopleβs appearance at work.
@irene @alice @Colman @blainsmith @rbphotographic Which also relates to a word choice Iβve been trying to be more aware of: talent versus skill. Talent is often considered innate (like βgiftedβ), while skill is always considered developed.
