NSV - Ladies, why do you get mad when this happens to you?

And the bottom line is we, as women, don't really know when that creepy, leering, asshat is going to grab us, throw us down, and rape us. ALL women must think like this in the back of our minds at ALL times because the statistics don't lie. 1:2 women have been sexually abused / assaulted by the time they reach adulthood.

I'm so very sorry that you live your life thinking this way, but I will not. I refuse to go through life assuming that I could be a victim at any second. There's reasonable caution you can take in life without living in fear. I hope you can find a happy medium.

And while sexual assault/abuse rates are alarming, 1:2 is likely just a touch high.

I work in women's health, and while I agree it "seems" too high....my personal experience tells me it's probably pretty darn close. I suppose if you want to get technical and start to divide it out into actual prosecuted abuse, proven rape, etc, it will be lower, but I think, just reading these posts, that there are a LOT of women who have dealt with "abuse" (do you consider a 40 year old saying inappropriate things to a 12-15 year old girl "abuse"? I do...although it happened to me and *I* didn't report it either) and just didn't say anything.

Don't assume anything about me and the way I live my life. I am an extremely strong woman who has dealt with many hardships that "could" have broken me. I've dealt with physical, mental, verbal, and substance abuse from significant others....and I have not only survived, but thrived, despite it. I have almost all "male" hobbies, and almost all male friends. I am NOT a victim and never have been....but that doesn't mean I see the world with rose-colored glasses either.

Two thoughts:

1. I would suspect that the level of "creepiness" of someone checking out your breasts is inversely related to how good-looking you think the person is that is checking you out. I find it hard to believe that most women would be offended if they were having a conversation with a really hot guy and they caught him checking out their breasts.

2. If you are wearing a low cut blouse and get offended that someone might get distracted and glance down at your breasts when you are talking to them, how do you think you'd function if men had penises on their chest and wore banana hammicks at work. Distracting, no?

You are way off base with #1. It never mattered to me what the guy looked like, if he was leering, rude or inappropriate,,, then creepy. One example for you. When I was 38 or so I lost a lot of weight on the Atkins diet. I was talking to several co workers (which included a really good looking male co-worker that all the single gals were chasing), about the diet. When I got to the part about high protein, he interrupted me and made a gesture to his groin and said "lets go out to the car for lunch I can help you with the high protein". Funny huh?,, all the men laughed, and didn't really understand what I got so angry about. This is just one example, you would have to be a women to understand the creep factor.

#2 I agree with, low cut blouses in the workplace are inappropriate, but still do not give a man the right to stare or leer.

I am a guy and I find that creepy and would have probably reported him to HR. With that said, I think casually checking out someone's boobs is a bit different, no? I think we're talking about staring a bit too long without realizing it as opposed to staring with an open mouth and putting my hand down my pants. Clearly there is a line somewhere. I just find it funny that so many on this thread can't seem to understand how confusing it is to men when you wear something that clearly "shows off" your breasts but yet you get mad when you catch someone looking. Making vulbar comments or making physical contact? Clearly that is out of bounds. You catch the good-looking guy down the hall checking you out as he walks past your desk? And you are mad at that? Really?

In relation to your first post, there was a guy I used to work with who was extremely good looking that would spend entire work related conversations staring at my chest and no it was no more welcome than if he'd been less attractive. During these conversations I would be wearing surgical scrubs so I'm not sure how this would be an outfit that invites such close scrutiny.

In your second post you seem to feel that any woman in an outfit that "shows off" our breasts should put up with being looked at. So on a hot day I'm supposed to cover up in long baggy clothes just in case someone looks? Or should I just adopt a burkha?

And OP there is a big difference between breasts and biceps. Breasts whilst multifunctional are inherently sexual. How would you have felt if she was staring lower down and then exclaimed "wow look at your crotch you have a lovely ****"!

Its a compliment and I see it as such.

Though being whistled at by van drivers when I'm walking a dog in jeans and a t-shirt has got REALLY old.

I hope your bicept compliment was given to you by a transexual who hasnt went through the full operation yet Would you of thought it was the same compliment from a creepy old man?

Breasts are fat and caused by genetics, biceps are not.

Apples oranges

Getting inappropriate comments since 12, its not appreciated in work, home or in a bar. its usually given with a comment 'if you're staring at my breasts you wont see my fist coming' to which they reintroduce eye contact.

Thanks for your thoughts Dancingonstar,

I realize muscles are more valued by most ppl on a guy rather than a woman, But, for a woman to have a nice chest, backside, legs...whatever... it is still an accomplishment for her. She wouldn't get many of those looks/compliments without good hygiene and being reasonably fit.

I can see how statements about your appearance from a person you don't know/trust can be scary for a woman, more so than for a man. And I know appearance compliments can be used to demean a woman or even a man. But in this case, she wasn't going to assault me and wasn't going to propose an affair. If she couldn't pay close attention to what I was saying about which end of the trail I started, I can totally forgive her in exchange for the compliment she paid me.

Actually, I am surprised there aren't a few women who would say: "Yeah, I get a total rush when I know a guy has hard time taking his eyes of my figure."

I think you've got the correct handle on the situation. I do think "You look great" is one thing, love that, but ogling and saying something like "Hey, great tits, sugar" is offensive.

"Hey, great tits, Sugar"?

I'm sorry for my naivety but are guys really that stupid?
They say things like this?

They don't say that exact thing, but they do say things like this.

I want to point out that the vast majority of men are pretty respectful. And like others, I don't expect even the best of men not to sneak a peek of cleavage or whatever. The problem is the ones who cross that line, are over the top and demanding, the ones who think it's perfectly reasonable to hug and otherwise touch a woman they just met and not respect personal space.

[/quote]"Hey, great tits, Sugar"?

I'm sorry for my naivety but are guys really that stupid?
They say things like this?[/quote]




Oh YES! In fact that is pretty mild compared to some of the things that I have had said to me in my younger days. I've had really rude and crude things shouted to me from passing cars/trucks such as "come sit on my face baby", or "that *kitten* is made for riding", to attractive young professional men in a corporate workplace environment saying they got the protein (gesturing to groin area), for my high protein diet. So actually it is refreshing to hear that you are surprised by the stupidity of some men.
Most women have had their share of crudeness thrown their way. There is a huge difference in a compliment and a crude remark or leer. HUGE! we learn the difference at a very young age.

Exactly! Getting hit on in public, if it were done by guys with an actual view to getting laid/flattering you, would be inept, annoying and unsuccessful, but at least excusable in a "ah, bless his stupidity, he'll grow out of it" kind of way. What is horrific is the fact that the vast majority of these comments are made for no such purpose. catcalls are hollered from a moving vehicle, or proffered in a situation where a woman can't get away (public transport, for e.g.) for precisely one reason - to make the woman in question feel self-conscious, nervous and powerless - essentially, the **** doing it is doing it to make himself feel like he has power over her. This is particularly true of the classic situation where a guy or guys in a car honk or yell at a woman on the pavement - all that is intended to do is startle and discomfort her.

"Hey, great tits, Sugar"?

I'm sorry for my naivety but are guys really that stupid?
They say things like this?

Yes...

I didn't actually work for my breasts though. They're just bags of fat that I happen to be genetically prone to have.

Now if someone admired my fitness level that would be another matter.

I'm lucky that I haven't heard any inappropriate comments while out jogging. I do get honked at every once in a while but probably by people who recognize me.

I think some people think I'm a minor due to the height, so that helps keep inappropriate comments to a minimum. Or maybe the guys in my area are just nice people.

Muscles are something you work for. My DD boobs are what they are partly by luck/horrible misfortune, and also partly because I've been overweight since I started to "sprout". Also, in our society/culture, breasts are seen as a sexual or private part of the body, so when someone stares or makes a comment, it feels less like a compliment and more like an unwanted advance. The best way I can think to put this into perspective is this Hannibal Lecter quote (from "Silence of the Lambs"): "And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? ... We begin by coveting what we see every day. Don't you feel eyes moving over your body, Clarice? And don't your eyes seek out the things you want?"

We're talking about apples and oranges here (or raisins and watermelons, as the case may be). People who "compliment" my chest are not actually complimenting me; they're saying, "I want to touch you" or "I am aroused." Then again, my perspective may be a little different than other women, since: most of the men who have "complimented" me were at least twice my age; I have never had a relationship but have received many requests by people who just want to "squeeze the Charmin"; I've been...what is that term that guys use? "Honked"?...several times by classmates; and I've had inappropriate comments and gestures made to me by coworkers. Therefore, mentioning my boobs at all is more like being sexually harassed than complimented, liked, appreciated, or respected. There's nothing wrong with liking them, nothing wrong with complimenting people, but the experience is COMPLETELY different in every imaginable way for a woman than it is for a man.

Edit - it's also a different experience for different women, and also a different experience with different men. Context has to do with it, too...although when you tell a girl she has a "nice chest" (or "hey sugar, nice t*ts") every woman I know interprets that as an unwanted advance. Or at least unexpected.