30 Things Women Had To Change About Themselves To Avoid Accidentally Leading Men On
A smile, a nod hello, the way you pick up something from the floor, and the way you dress can be taken the wrong way.
Some women end up changing the smallest parts of their behavior just to avoid being misunderstood. A smile, a compliment, or even basic politeness can get read as something else entirely.
This story pulls together a long list of things women say they had to adjust, from how they talk to how they move, dress, and respond to men. The common thread is simple, they were trying to avoid unwanted attention and the awkward fallout that can follow.
The responses are blunt, frustrating, and sometimes darkly funny, which makes the whole thing hit even harder.
Here's the Reddit question that got the ball rolling:
Throwyourtoothbrush1. Timing when you can mention that you have a significant other
[deleted]2. Women had to age to be treated nicely
[deleted]
It's so creepy that teenage women have had to deal with this abuse.
saltshapedpear
3. You have to bend your knees when picking things off the ground a la bend and snap.
acontreras1228
Plus, you can't stick your butt out too much when standing back up.
sillysmiles
4. Women saying they have a girlfriend warrants all types of gross responses.
strych91
5. Doing a good job working in customer service.
BurberryCustardbath
6. Showing curiosity and giving them a compliment.
darlinglark
7. Maybe this is why Mona Lisa's smile was so mysterious.
teentytinty
How is it okay that a woman had to prove she was in a relationship to get a guy to back off?
what_the_whatever
8. Women can't eat bananas (or hot dogs) in public.
erinsuzanne, johnCreilly
9. You have to be rude at times just for the message to sink in.
[deleted]
10. You can't even politely reply to social media messages without being harassed months later.
DiscoLemonade0107
11. You can't decline their offer to lift not-so-heavy things.
stink3rbelle
12. You can't accept any favors because they feel entitled to have something in return.
betweensadmad
This is similar to the friend who keeps bringing her SO along to every hangout, and the asker’s dilemma.
Do not get into a car with someone you don't trust.
Fartsandfarts
13. Touching means you're into them, apparently.
ColorMeCuriosity
14. You can't be human and show concern.
waytobookish
15. Having a really good conversation and showing genuine interest.
BillieRubenCamGirl
16. Women can't be gamers; everyone knows this.
Aelle1209
17. You can't say hi to their puppies.
[deleted]
18. You can't be too polite, smiley, or nod hello.
Spotgaai
19. You have to play into stereotypes to make things easier.
crimson_hobo
20. You cannot be friendly or genuinely lovely.
BestWishes24
21. Being good friends with them must mean you are really in love with them.
focker_number4
focker_number4
22. When dealing with couples, you always run the risk of making the guy think you're interested in him or making the girl think you're hitting on their boyfriend.
peachiichi
23. You have to be overweight for them to actually understand that you're just being friendly and polite.
kelbrina
Because if you're skinny, then you must like them if you're talking to them, but being overweight also freaks them out at times.
[deleted]
24. Women can't go to the gym or try to get in shape without someone bothering them.
girthygirl, forsakkenbacon
25. Bra straps freak people out so much, and if you don't wear one, they freak out too.
ZePistachio
26. You can't ask them for directions.
vestegaard
Otherwise, you might experience what this lady went through.
vestegaard
27. You can't use endearments as a heterosexual or homosexual woman.
myhaikudream
28. Some men think you want them if you make direct eye contact.
Audroniukas
29. You have to dress like a slob to avoid getting ogled.
SheTroll
30. Here's a short bulleted list of what one woman had stopped doing to avoid giving men the wrong impression:
TransmogrifyMe
Ask any woman, and they can give you an answer like this one.
TransmogrifyMe
It's not a woman's responsibility to walk on eggshells to avoid potential harassment. While not all men are this bad, there are still enough who behave this way for it to become a problem.
Some women have grown so tired of changing their behaviors out of fear of what some men will do that they have decided to just be themselves because it's not really their problem. How men react to women simply being polite or friendly is really up to them.
Want another “friend boundary” blowup? See the Redditor who wondered if confronting her partner’s flirty friend was justified.
