I think the golden rule for men should be...

[brasty]

.

I think that quote is spot on.

I wouldn't go as far as never talking to a woman in public places. There is room for being nice and making small tak just the way two women could do it or two men.
The problem is that it is often not just small talk... and this is where the original quote is spot on.

No it doesn't fucking validate my self worth retract your cats claws yeh

"I've come to the conclusion that a lot of women would just be happy if men didn't exist."

If you honestly, honestly think that asking men not to harass women in the street is the same thing as wishing they didn't exist, then you have the lowest opinion of any of us of those men, since you must believe that they cannot survive happily without sexually harassing us. I pity you the life experience of them that must have led you to that conclusion.

Agree with this.
Have no objections to being asked out/for my number/if I’d like a drink so long as said person is respectful when I say I have a partner (I mean how are they to know without asking)

The 'you probably don't want men to exist' type comments remind me of my children when they're stopping after a justified telling off: 'please don't keep snacking, dinner will be ready soon' kid: 'FINE. I'll just STARVE then'.

We want men to exist. We are even quite happy to pass the time of the day with them while waiting for a bus or whatever. We just don't want to be harassed. It's really not a big ask is it?

The trouble with 'compliments' is that some men think "phwoarrr, nice tits, love" is just giving a compliment

That's the whole fucking problem, really.

Stropping that should read, not stopping!

I think it would be better still if men simply stopped trying to speak to women they don't know in public places at all

Really?!!

I think "WhollyFather" is a man trying for a reductio ad absurdum argument, and failing miserably.

The thing is, there are more ways than ever before to find a willing sexual/romantic partner. There's online dating (including sites that are aimed at people looking for sex rather than longterm relationships), there's a sex party scene (there is, honest) there are plenty of clubs and bars where the majority of people there are out on the pull. There are sex workers. There is no need for men to pester women randomly, whenever they see a woman out without a male keeper. It doesn't work in terms of making the woman interested in this random man who has intruded on her day.

So, mostly, it's not actually about meeting a new sexual/romantic partner at all. Men who harass women in public are usually doing it to put women in their place. It's like that particular type of abusive partner who constantly pesters for sex at the most inconvenient, inappropriate time - he doesn't want sex, he just wants to annoy/intimidate/disgust you, or to have an excuse to abuse you for not worshipping his dick.

Straight over my head pog100!

That's how I read it pog.

It's a good summary for the man who claims not to get it.

Not going to get in to an argument with you but if youd hate it if men stopped chatting you up then you need help. Makes you sound desperate for male attention.

Yep! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Ha exactly. And those annoying "woe is me it is SO unfair that I can no longer even speak to strange women in public any more" comments how many couples have got together because the man has shouted "give us a smile love" or "show us your tits" at the woman from a moving vehicle? Clue - none.

What reanimatedSGB said.

@ReanimatedSGB
Your post is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever read on here

So so many 'all men are bastards' threads on MN at present (taking various forms).
It's truly depressing.

What I find truly depressing is the truculent reaction from so many men who no doubt identify themselves as 'decent'.

👌👌👌👌👌 spot on

www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/women-are-so-moody-says-man-who-tells-them-to-smile-all-the-time-20171010137242

What I find depressing is being trapped between a man on one side, two walls and a table on the others. A man that wouldn't leave me alone despite me asking him politely several times after making civil conversation and dropping numerous hints (waste of time of course), then less politely, and then with several outright fuck offs in various forms.

What I find more depressing is his return soon after to tell me he had figured it out and the reason I wasn't interested is because I'm a lesbian. Because it couldn't possibly be the fact I'm not remotely attracted to a man nearly twice my age with no capacity to understand how intrusive he was being and how uncomfortable it was making me because he was so caught up in telling me about his job and how 'cute' he thinks I am.

What I find even more depressing is the fact his friend came over later to apologise for his rudeness and proceeded to try and make conversation despite being told my friend and I were not interested.

More depressing still, when a male friend joined they left us alone - until he went to the loo and they BOTH came over to ask why we didn't want to talk to them.

I hadn't seen that friend in over 5 years and we spent far too much time telling these idiots in no uncertain terms to go away and leave us alone.

As much as I would love to see how uncomfortable they would feel if that happened to them, I still don't think they would see the comparison and understand that their behaviour was disgusting. Entitled pricks.

Yes

I F'n hate it when men told me to smile. Put up with that crapshit a lot when I was younger.

Sorry, I find it objectionable and missing the point.

We shouldn't need a rule for how we engage with women any more than we don't need a rule telling us it's inappropriate to throw fresh dung at passers-by. What we do need is more in the way of meaningful sanctions against the harassers, pesterers, whistlers, demeaners and remark-passers.

So stuff the idea of a cute little rule, it won't work. People that don't get the basic fundamentals of reasonable and acceptable behaviour, ether towards women or any other group, need to be dealt with through laws and penalties.