Do You Wish Women Would Cover Up Because You Can’t Stop Staring?
It’s not about the looking…it’s about what you’re seeing
Every day, I take a walk around my neighborhood, or on a nearby trail. It is a ritual that keeps me sane, even if the weather is bad.
Clearly, I’m not alone in this, as I pass countless joggers and walkers each time I lace up my shoes. As I pass them, I always say “hello” or “good morning,” an act of friendliness I observed my father do all throughout his life. But at least half the men I pass do not respond, nor even look at me. They pass by me as if I’m not there, some of them even returning my gaze, but with unfocused eyes, as if to demonstrate they are looking right through me.
This always surprises me, no matter how many times it happens. They aren’t wearing headphones, so I know most, if not all, can hear me. And why look at me at all, only to demonstrate their disinterest in acknowledging my greeting or presence?
One day, a friend of mine shared that this happens to her frequently, as well. And a few years ago, one man did respond. He said, “You think I’m dumb enough to be friendly to a woman I don’t even know?”
Later that day, she told her husband what she had experienced and shared her confusion over the man’s statement. He told her…
