17 ms·

I dunno about you, but I actually enjoy being able to speak to strangers at the metro without getting labelled a harasser. I'd be happy to speak with any of tho

I dunno about you, but I actually enjoy being able to speak to strangers at the metro without getting labelled a harasser. I'd be happy to speak with any of those demographics that you mentioned during a trip. Admittedly, I probably wouldn't engage with a young child, outside of smiling at them, because I'd be worried of being labelled a sex offender of some sort, despite the fact that I would never even come close to considering doing something like that. I'm a male, so I do enjoy engaging with attractive women, but I don't limit my interactions to them. Now it turns out I can only engage with anyone EXCEPT women? Do you really fail to see how that could also be harmful to women? Have you really never made a new friend while on a train? I've seen a lot of negative news about France lately, that it's getting to the point that I might never see myself visting there, despite knowing it would probably have lot to offer in terms of experiences. Where do you draw the line? I think I'm a fairly reasonable individual, and if I speak with someone I'll cut it short if they seem uncomfortable... But it seems pretty crazy that you could have someone call the cops on you just for striking up a conversation.

Broken_Hippo 8y ago
If you greet them with similar intros, especially with non-sexual topics, great. Take cues when the chatter isn't welcome and stop? Great. Things like this and you are safe. Bonus points if you apologise. Seriously, cat-calling is a different beast entirely. nothing like walking down the street to pass a group of men who exclaim very loudly, "Well, she was ugly in front but look at that ass!" I had a customer literally drool forget his sentences every time he saw me. He'd follow me around the store and talk to me. Other folks would step in. He left me a card - at work! - telling me he'd stop, but also exclaiming how sexy I was and how much he adored me. I had asked him to stop. He had noticed I disappeared when he came into the store. He finally did stop, but it took months of discomfort. I had a boss that would "accidentally" brush up against my breasts or ass. Small place with no recourse, and I had to quit. There is a lot of area between these two, and I think it should be quite obvious that they are wrong, but it happens nonetheless. There is a huge difference between a nice chat or nicely asking someone out in a way that respects them and this sort of stuff. Save for the one dude that probably thought I was a prostitute, folks in Amsterdam treated me better (I was there for a fun weekend alone, spouse stayed home) - including the dude that propositioned me after chatting in the coffee shop. He was really respectful and simply asked. I talk to random people on planes and other places willingly. Most conversation is fine so long as the other person is reasonable, and halts when I ask the conversation to stop.
Bertio 8y ago
You might try imaginging what the metro experience is like for women. Your perspective is very self centered and not as reasonable as you think.

Broken_Hippo 8y ago

If you greet them with similar intros, especially with non-sexual topics, great. Take cues when the chatter isn't welcome and stop? Great. Things like this and you are safe. Bonus points if you apologise. Seriously, cat-calling is a different beast entirely. nothing like walking down the street to pass a group of men who exclaim very loudly, "Well, she was ugly in front but look at that ass!" I had a customer literally drool forget his sentences every time he saw me. He'd follow me around the store and talk to me. Other folks would step in. He left me a card - at work! - telling me he'd stop, but also exclaiming how sexy I was and how much he adored me. I had asked him to stop. He had noticed I disappeared when he came into the store. He finally did stop, but it took months of discomfort. I had a boss that would "accidentally" brush up against my breasts or ass. Small place with no recourse, and I had to quit. There is a lot of area between these two, and I think it should be quite obvious that they are wrong, but it happens nonetheless. There is a huge difference between a nice chat or nicely asking someone out in a way that respects them and this sort of stuff. Save for the one dude that probably thought I was a prostitute, folks in Amsterdam treated me better (I was there for a fun weekend alone, spouse stayed home) - including the dude that propositioned me after chatting in the coffee shop. He was really respectful and simply asked. I talk to random people on planes and other places willingly. Most conversation is fine so long as the other person is reasonable, and halts when I ask the conversation to stop.

Bertio 8y ago

You might try imaginging what the metro experience is like for women. Your perspective is very self centered and not as reasonable as you think.