Yesterday as I was walking home, I stopped at a corner, and a man came up and said something to me. I had my earbuds in and I live in a big city where sometimes folks ask directions on my street, so I took them out and said, “Sorry?” He repeated what he’d said, which was, “Would you call the cops if I said you’re beautiful?” (UGHHHHH.) I used to just say, “Thanks,” or whatever to these comments but I was just in no mood.
I tried to be nice. I said, “No… But that’s probably not something you should be saying to women.”
IMMEDIATELY he launched into how “f***ed up” I am, and why couldn’t I just “take a compliment because you ARE beautiful”… I just had to put my earbuds back in, turn it up, and keep walking.
How should I have responded? I don’t know if I handled it correctly, but I’m glad I let him know that it wasn’t welcome, and I walked the rest of the way home feeling anxious and angry. Major creep.
– Anonymous
Location: San Francisco, CA
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