Pear Ring - new dating device?

[mylittleyumyum]

This popped up on my Tik Tok feed yesterday - a woman filmed herself approaching a guy and asking if that was a Pear ring he was wearing - he stated it was and they swapped names and numbers.

Further investigation confirmed that this is some new gimmick where singles buy a green ring and then keep their eyes peeled for other wearers they like the look of...

I'm very much Not Single, but I don't think this is the kind of experiment I'd buy into anyway.

How are you meant to give men the brush off if you are advertising that you're single? Surely this is just going to lead to a hell of a lot more harassment?

Presumably you wouldn't wear it unless you were happy to be approached by men.

I mean, I'm not dating (and god, hope I never had to again!), but even a million years ago in the dark ages, we were doing online dating (I think I was probably the first generation that did, though my parents actually met on a phone dating service in the 70s!). But before that, people actually met other people out and about just through activities and mutual friends and being in the same pub or cafe or bookshop or church at the same time. I met dh at a bar and because of the situation we were in (living and working abroad alone), we both sort of could assume the other was single. But people did have to have conversations and identify other people who were potentially single and not just swipe right or left. And it's not unlike how, for example, gay men and lesbian women and others have sought to identify themselves as single and looking back in the days before smartphones. It's an interesting social experiment to see if it would work in our present moment when I think people's patience for anything other than immediate gratification and getting exactly what you want when you want it is not great.

I wonder though how you'd politely turn someone down if say, they approached you in a relatively secluded space, at a park or on public transport etc.

If it becomes quite well known then all sorts of creeps will use it to excuse their behaviour in a sick "she was asking for the attention" type way.

Something tells me it will potentially fall flat though.

I can completely see why people might do it

Especially once you get older, there's an assumption that most people are paired up. I'm not sure If a 40s man and 40s woman got briefly talking in a coffee shop, if they would automatically assume the other was single

It helps to know where you stand, there's nothing worse than having a spark with someone who you find out is actually married, and either deliberately hiding it or just thinks you're the friendly barista

Unwanted attention is unwanted attention - some women get this without doing anything whatsoever to invite it. I think users of the ring could be expected to exercise judgement as to when to wear it - slip it off when they're in a secluded space - it sounds more like something you'd wear when you were 'out on the pull' so to speak.

It's hard to say whether it will become popular. It's competing against online dating. It might attract a niche market of people who shun or are disillusioned with online dating.

my parents actually met on a phone dating service in the 70s!

Mine met through 'Dateline' in 1971!

Guess you never heard of a Cladagh Ring?

What makes you think I've never heard of a cladagh ring? I think the traditional aspect of these was lost at least 40 years ago.

I saw an ad for these and thought yup, I bet they didn't run the idea past a panel of women. An open invitation to sexual harassment.

Why do some people always see the negative side of any idea. I think this is a great idea much better than OLD. A ring be be taken on and off depending on the context -I wouldn't wear it to work in school...