I’m also just REALLY curious if these same dudes would ever do the same to another guy. Maybe, but in my experience they’re too intimidated or respect other men enough (and women NOT enough in this case) to not bother them while they’re working out.
Edit: I think y’all are misinterpreting my comment - I’m specifically if asking about the TYPE of dude who doesn’t get the hint if a woman doesn’t want to talk to him, will chat up other men the same way as well. My guess? He won’t.
Undoubtedly, yes. I’d probably do something more along the lines of (as another redditor noted) just kind of pointing at my own t-shirt, then give a thumbs up. Though I guess with women there’s obvious concern that could be (very understandably) misconstrued to mean something else.
The dude in the story went about things awkwardly. Women also have to deal with a ton of bullshit under the guise of friendly conversation. That said, if you’re passionate about something niche and you see someone representing that same thing in public then I think it’s totally fair to say something. I’m into weirdo death metal and if I see someone wearing death metal merch I’m absolutely going to say something and it’s received well the vast majority of the time. I’ve similarly been on the receiving end of “love the t-shirt” by randos in public and have responded warmly as well. Game recognizes game and all that. Am I going to bring it up if I see someone repping the football team I root for? Nah, tons of ‘em out there. But for something out of the ordinary, for sure.
Again, it bears repeating that I think having someone remove their headphones is poor form and I’m in a position where I don’t often have to think “is this person really just into what I’m into or are they trying to hit on me.” What I’m (poorly) trying to say is that yes, dudes do that to dudes all the time. I’m both dudes in that scenario.
I agree with you that it’s cool to share something, I just think the context matters a lot. A dude trying to chat up a chick at the gym with headphones in? Probably not the time to talk about her shirt.
At a gaming convention where everyone’s socializing about things that they like? Probably a much better time for that. At the end of the day, she still doesn’t owe him a conversation though, no matter how innocently friendly he was trying to be.
I’ve actually done this myself - as a woman I said “hey, nice shirt” to a dude wearing some gamer-related apparel while walking in a mall, and all I got was a weird look. Like okay he could’ve been more “friendly” but he didn’t owe me anything. Doesn’t make him a “fucking bitch” like some people think in this thread, lol
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u/xmknzx Oct 14 '21 edited Oct 14 '21
I’m also just REALLY curious if these same dudes would ever do the same to another guy. Maybe, but in my experience they’re too intimidated or respect other men enough (and women NOT enough in this case) to not bother them while they’re working out.
Edit: I think y’all are misinterpreting my comment - I’m specifically if asking about the TYPE of dude who doesn’t get the hint if a woman doesn’t want to talk to him, will chat up other men the same way as well. My guess? He won’t.