Women report rise in "aggressive eye contact" since masks

How do Islamic women who choose various forms of veiling find this?

I can’t say I’ve noticed aggressive eye contact, although not sure what that is really.

Yesterday I saw two little girls sitting in the trolley sharing biscuits. I smiled at them, as I would normally, and realised that as nobody could see me smile, it looked like I was staring at them. Maybe it’s something like that?

Well nobody notices me either thank God! Fat and 60! so I really don't exist! Have had a trying few days last week and this. So my eyes are exactly reflecting "Come to Bed, more like FUCK OFF!"

That sounds like a good explanation @Dervel

I haven't noticed this but as I'm mainly indoors wearing a mask with strangers at shops and then am focussed on my shopping and most people are keeping their distance I haven't been looking at strangers enough to notice how/ if they are looking at me.

I'd imagine some men will find women in masks 'hot' - well if the women are young and pretty anyway, which could explain some of the staring. Never underestimate what some men will find arousing. 😆
Doesn't explain the 'aggressive' part though.

It’s all pretty logical really, we all have ingrained behaviour. Make eye contact with someone you look away, maybe smile or nod to acknowledge them. There are whole sets of behaviours ingrained that we have. Slap a mask on and suddenly we lose a significant portion of our non verbal communication. I think a portion of people just freeze as they try to extrapolate how to behave. Thus make eye contact for a little too long than is comfortable. Obviously if this is causing anyone distress I’ll resolve to make sure I’m not staring as I’m working all this out.

No my first thought is that it's not a thing.
And that if I notice someone staring I usually realise I must have been staring at them.
I just don't think hordes of men are using masks as a way to aggressiylock eyes with people In general.
I think it's just a strange time

@iamtheoneandonlyyy

Really - it's your opinion that women are going out 'looking for aggressive eye contact'.

That's your first thought?

@fleurdeliz it's only my opinion on the idea of 'aggressive eye contact' in general.

@Goosefoot

Maybe not the only options. My husband said maybe my dress was tucked in my knickers and that's why they were staring.

@iamtheoneandonlyyy

That's sad that's how you interpret my post. I thought maybe this was the kind of thing I could say on this board without fear of being told it was 'you not them':

Clearly not hey?

I think it's a feedback loop. I doubt I'd intimidate any men, even if I tried, but I get into a cycle of trying to communicate a polite smile, worrying that I've been staring too long while I do it and then going back to staring for even longer while I futilely try to communicate a polite smile. Meanwhile, he may have smiled back politely too but I have no way to know and probably has similar thoughts (or he may not be as neurotic). The worst part is when I try to fake a full face smile and worry that I've more likely just narrowed my eyes.

Hopefully, if we don't get a vaccine soon, the WHO can announce that wearing dark/mirrored glasses helps stop the spread.

Sounds like there's a few women staring to find out if they are being stared at lol.
Honestly though, sounds like crap

C. Wearing a mask means men feel 'safer' about looking at a woman and making eye contact.

I haven't personally experienced this but I do wonder if their mask makes them think they can't be seen staring, a bit like a toddler with its hands over its eyes thinking you can't see it, hence carrying on ogling instead of being more surreptitious. Wouldn't be surprised.

I went to Tesco today and it was crazy. Either:

a.all the men were perves

B.the bottom half of my face is fugly and covering it makes me much more attractive to men

C. Wearing a mask means men feel 'safer' about looking at a woman and making eye contact.

I honestly couldn't believe just how obvious some of them were about looking and holding the stare once they caught eye contact.

Really bizarre and so glad I found this thread!

Not that I've had botox the upper part of my face doesn't move at all. My emotions are all basically blank staring

The answer to Titania's dilemma is, of course, to cross your eyes.

Titania always makes me laugh. I agree that it's all a bit "literal violance". I've not experienced this at all but then again I have 2 toddlers and my interactions with other people usually only go as far as "is my toddler going to bash into the other human? No. You may now go back to ignoring the existence of said human".

I suspect it is the usual male staring but more noticeable now that eyes are nearly all that is visible of the face.

.

I haven't noticed anything except maybe people are less chatty with strangers.