[Answered on Quora.com by Myra Scott]
Women
Are
Not
Required
To
Be
Polite
and
Respectful
A compliment from a random man generally means "I want attention from you” - but you are not required to give it. A compliment is a cheap way to start a conversation, because most people like to hear something nice about themselves.
Women don’t have to respond in any specific way. Women did not ask for this compliment. Women are busy with other things and do not have to drop their current inner dialog to entertain some rando who wants attention.
A brief smile and a “thank you” is plenty. If they think they’ve now started a conversation, feel free to move, turn away or ignore.
Not too long ago, at a farmer’s market, a man came up to me and said, “I like your dress.” That was nice. I smiled back and said, “Thank you,” warmly then returned to my shopping. He hovered behind me and when I moved to the next booth, so did he.
“So, you here alone today?” he asked.
I said, “No,” and moved to the next booth. No smiles.
“Who are you here with?” I didn’t answer or turn around. I wasn’t shopping now, I was trying to get away from him.
“Wait, do you want to go get coffee with me?” he was still trailing me.
“I don’t.” I was walking faster now and he was keeping up.
“Why not?” he asked. I stopped and turned around. He looked like a puppy I had kicked in the face but you know what? I didn’t ask for this.
“Because I don’t. Stop following me.”
“But if you’d just give me a chance ... let me buy you a coffee ...”
At that point, I left. Quickly, before he could see where I went. Morning at the farmer’s market cut short. Because some dumbass thought a compliment meant I was supposed to give up the rest of my morning to entertain him. And he literally chased me as I tried to avoid him.
What he did was make me feel unsafe because he wouldn’t accept no. And I haven’t been back to that farmer’s market since.
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