But that doesn't necessarily mean they're all out here having the time of their life. Reddit user "Kyoto_j" asked:
"Guys of reddit, whats one thing you hate about being a dude?"
So we're about to be very honest here and admit that I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. Yeah, we're about to talk about penises (a lot) but there's a lot more going on than just "locker room" jokes.
We'll totally start there, though...
Problematic Peeing
peeing feels so good GIFGiphy"Split stream when I pee." - Bantabury97
"A few mornings back I finally did it, guys. The legendary triple stream is real. Rejoice." - theyfoundmeomg
"And the little dribble at the end I can't begin to count how many times I thought I was safe and then had to wash my pants" - FlowerGlock
Traumatic Erections
Awkward Ed Helms GIF by The OfficeGiphy"When I was in middle school having to deal with spontaneous erections was so embarrassing to the point of being traumatic."
"Girls have periods, and we can never compete with that level of inconvenience, but these members of ours ain't a walk in the park." - lastusernameiswearr
"I'm 34 and it still happens from time to time. Mostly when I'm tired and bored, which usually happens at meetings and courses for work, similar environments to a schoolroom. Going to the bathroom to crank one out, and chugging down some caffeine usually helps." - Hawk_Thor
Sensitive
Tobey Maguire Reaction GIFGiphy"I'm very, very emotionally sensitive and people laugh at me for it."
"Just the other day I made a post in a Facebook group reviewing a restaurant I had a great experience in, and all these strange men and women made fun of me. I wish I could blow it off but it hurt my feelings so bad, and I can't just move on and shake it off."
"I wanted to either write every mean person who wrote, and tell them how much they hurt my feelings, or hurt them myself. I still even get caught up thinking for hours sometimes about my bullies in primary school. I'm 31."
"Men can't talk to anyone." - Yusi-D-Jordan
Bad Intentions
Rainn Wilson Running GIF by CootiesGiphy"I'm always worried if people think I'm being a creep or a perv or something. A lot of messed up sh*t happens in the world and I don't blame anyone, but I hate being self-conscious about it." - Hidden_Squid14
"Yep, I would never dream of harming a kid and I keep friendly around them, but I fear that people will think ill of my intentions when I'm just being nice to the kid who decided to say hi to me" - Furydragonstormer
"When my kids were little I had the cops called on me (twice) for being at a playground with my kids during the day."
"They said the women thought I had kidnapped them or something like that. My sons look a lot like me (poor boys)." - Reloaded9mm
"Yes, this is a big one for me. I pretty much always ignore kids unless I'm forced to acknowledge their presence."
"When I was younger, there was a friend of mine who had an adorable daughter who was 3 or 4 and for some insane reason she loved me to pieces. I didn't do anything to deserve her affection, but she almost always came over to me and just smiled and hung around me."
"I wasn't very comfortable around kids, and I'm still not, but after a while I started to get used to her and actually liked playing with her and talking to her. It was entirely innocent, and not anything I sought out. But it turns out her family thought she hung around me all the time because I did something inappropriate to her, or something."
"I think they were mostly just questioning my motives for playing with her and talking to her."
"They once asked me if I gave her candy and whenever she came over to me someone would stand there awkwardly, watching me out of the corner of their eye. In a way I don't blame them. I'm a pretty big guy, and it might be hard to believe I would never hurt anything or anyone."
"But finding out that people thought I was creepy because an adorable little girl wanted to be my friend, which I honestly had no control over was a major hit to my self esteem." - Im_Just_Cake
Fatherhood Is Fabulous
Fathers Day Dad GIF by America's Funniest Home VideosGiphy"I'm a stay at home dad. I don't know how to put it simply, or what the right term is, but I have been semi-frequently harassed, berated, and otherwise made to look foolish or feel ashamed because I'm a man who loves his babies."
"Out at the park with my son? 'Poor guy has to be with his kids while the missus is at home. She must have him whipped.' "
"At the grocery store with the baby? 'Oh you're so sweet doing this for your wife.' "
"At the doctor doing checkups/shots? I'll have to deal with random people saying I either don't know what I'm talking about, that I just think my son is special, that I cant be trusted to give info on their health because I'm not their mom, and that I 'need to tell my wife...' "
"Those aren't bad, it's just obnoxious."
"The part that really sucks is that my friends make fun of me for it, or when an argument happen they throw it in my face that I don't have a job and therefore am not a real man."
"Just the status quo that a man must work to death and a woman is the only one fit to stay home grinds my gears."
"I know how to change a diaper. Yes, I'm happy. Yes, it was MY choice to stay home."
"No, I don't mind not getting to f*ck off with my friends all the time. Yes, I know how to deal with children's medical issues."
"And no, I wouldn't trade it for the world." - D3athraxys
Size Matters
twin peaks head shake GIF by Twin Peaks on ShowtimeGiphy"I'm 6'3" and I have a problem with feeling imposing even though I'm just trying to exist."
"I'm very awkward because of it, because I not only watch every word that comes out of my mouth, but I'm also very aware of how tall I am & that some people, usually women, might be more guarded towards me if they don't know me."
"The biggest issue is where I work."
"I work in retail and there's a lot of underage 17 year old kids working there. I usually don't talk with them for too long because I'm afraid I'll seem creepy to them, or to people who might be pricking up their ears to make sure I'm not trying to make a move on them or something like that."
"And I hope I don't come across like my problems are bigger than other people's. But these are definitely problems I face on a day to day basis." - Im_Just_A_Cake
The Most Unexplained Events In History | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
History is littered with unsolved mysteries. Whether those answers are buried somewhere or lost forever, it doesn't stop people from wondering or hypothesizi..."One of my best friends has talked to me about this issue. He is a big guy (6'5") with a beard. He definitely has a presence."
"Even though he is amazing with kids he avoids them because he tries so hard to avoid a sense of impropriety. It's very sad to me that he misses out on the joy kids can bring because of societal expectations and biases."
"Similarly if a woman is walking alone at night he will go out of his way to walk on the other side of the street or farther away from her so she doesn't feel threatened."
"These discussions with him gave me a lot of perspective. As a woman I have not really worried about my presence being intimidating or threatening to others, so hearing how hard he tries to make others comfortable made me kind of sad." - deej394
"Came here to post this. I'm 6'4 250lbs and tend to walk to the gym at night in the city."
"The shortest route is a side street which is basically an alley at some parts. I tend to walk somewhat quickly and I always somehow end up behind a younger woman."
"Undoubtedly I scare them as I try to walk quickly past to avoid being any more looming as a dangerous person as I might look. I always feel guilty like I'm doing something wrong when I'm just trying to walk. I didn't ask to be this big haha" - Rybobo
Pumpkin Abduction
Tired Good Night GIFGiphy"I live in Rhode Island. At our zoo we have a pumpkin festival in October. The tickets are expensive but it's fun and they have pumpkin beer."
"Anyway I bought two tickets for me and a friend to go. That day he was sick and canceled. I ended up taking my nearly two-year-old daughter."
"We had a good time. When I was going home I realized that it was nearly 8:00 pm and we hadn't eaten dinner, so we stopped into a local restaurant."
"My daughter was well behaved. We ate dinner and left. She was a little testy as we got to the car but nothing unusual in any way."
"We go home and my daughter goes to sleep."
"About a half an hour later, a cop shows up. He said someone from the restaurant called the police thinking I abducted her."
"They said she seemed 'too quiet' when we were eating. It was 8:30 when we ate and her bedtime is normally 8:00 so yeah she was probably a little sedate."
"But seriously!?"
"Anyway, we wake up our daughter and she's clearly in no danger. The cop apologized and left. To be fair to the cop, I think he thought the whole thing was ridiculous from the start but had to do his job."
"But this would have NEVER would have happened if my wife would have brought my daughter and not me! I was basically accused of being a child trafficker because my daughter was a little sleepy." - Geri-psychiatrist-RI
Compliments, Please
olivia culpo adam GIFGiphy"Never received a compliment in my life expect the time a girl told me she liked my boots in 8th grade."
"Thanks Maddie I appreciate it still" - Aviator122
"I sometimes hate how much I crave compliments." - tpaolicchi
"I'm 38 and the last time someone complimented on my looks or appearance was when I was 30 at my old job when a woman said my glasses and hat combo really suited me." - Fkyourslipper
"It's super rare, for sure."
"A woman at the bus stop once told me my sweater looked nice and I instinctually asked 'Excuse me?' thinking I misheard, 'cause there's no way a woman just complimented me...'cause that never happens."
"It was super nice, made my day. Ladies: compliment men too, please." - putinmy@ss
Support Systems?
Jimmy Fallon No GIF by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonGiphy"There's no support for men. Try to file for food stamps as a single man, or see how the courts treat you if you get a divorce, or talk about needing therapy."
"You get the same advice every time: 'go work out, throw yourself into your work, get a hobby.' "
"One of the most destructive, most infuriating thing people can say is, 'Man Up.' "
"Well, I'm not a stoic piece of driftwood, I'm human. I have feelings and basic needs just like anyone else - and its literally deadly to hold that sh*t in."
"Yeah, our fathers and their fathers held their feelings in, but they also dropped dead in their 40s and 50s of massive heart attacks." - GhostOnToast
Creepy At A Kid's Movie
Bill Hader Popcorn GIF by Saturday Night LiveGiphy"Per my dad who loves animation:"
"Now that my kids are grown, I have to wait a few weeks when a movie comes out so I can see it and not be the creepy solo older man at a kids movie." - M0ck_duck
"I went to see 'The Secret of Nimh' a few years ago back when the Alamo Drafthouse would show kids movies on Saturday mornings."
"I bought a soda, some popcorn and settled in."
"About 30 minutes in I realized an employee was standing directly behind me (I was in the back row.) He didn't move until the movie was over." - cbpantskiller
Responsibility
Tired Tv Land GIF by TV Land ClassicGiphy"Kind of a love/hate thing, but being responsible - for the wife, the kids, the house, cars, everything."
"At the end of the day, when something goes wrong or everyone is scared, everyone looks down the table to me and says 'What are we gonna do?' "
"Goes with the role of being the 'man of the house,' but it does wear me out." - Opposite-Algae8912
No One Told My Heart
Sad Sterling K Brown GIF by This Is UsGiphy"For me, it was when my wife and I lost 4 children during late term pregnancy in just 5 years. It was loss after loss after loss."
"Everyone always asked me how my wife was doing and told me how sorry they felt for her. Not once did anyone ask or care about how I was doing."
"I put my wife first always, but it would have been nice for someone to care about how I was doing. I felt like nobody did; even my mother said guys don't get attached till the child is born."
"I guess no one told my heart that rule." - Successful_Panic7184
Thanks, Homer
Homer Simpson Reaction GIFGiphy"Dumb Husband Syndrome."
"Thanks to Homer Simpson, Phil Dunphy, Al Bundy, etc., the entire world seems to believe that your standard husband is too stupid to accomplish even the most mundane task on his own."
"I've seen a lot of guys (myself included) just going about their business and people feel compelled to step in and correct them or tell them how to do something." - SeaTie
Now that you've read what Reddit has to say, what are your thoughts on some of the tougher aspects of being a man?
First things first... watch "Fatal Attraction." And do everything the opposite of Glenn Close; then grow from there. Learn the difference between flirting and crazy.
Ok Crazy
wo glenn close GIFGiphy"Broke into my building."
"Ayo hold up that's creepy don't you thing what If he was some obsessive lover and tried to kill you if you rejected him."
Dear Mama...
"Texted my mom saying I broke his heart."
- 221034kb
"Some guy did that to my mom too! Told her he had traveled across the country to forget about me and just needed her advice to help him get over it. He had been talking about going on that trip for way longer than that so that was almost certainty an exaggeration. Also I'd been dating someone else for over a year at that point. I'm sure it sounded very romantic in his head."
"Amazon Woman"
"I met a guy through Tinder, he lived about an hour from me, he got upset with me and blocked me on Snapchat after I had told him I found someone I was interested in dating who lived closer. Fast forward about a year or so later and I get a text from a number I didn't recognize. Turns out it's this guy again (we had exchanged numbers previously), the guy I was dating didn't work out so I decided to chat with this guy a little more. He joked about visiting me a bit but I never gave him my address."
"Fast forward a couple months of chatting and I'm off work to study for an exam and I get a knock on my door. And what do you know, this dude FOUND MY APARTMENT in a city he was not from AND he brought his lizard, not in a cage or with a leash or anything. Just hidden in his shirt when he walked into my apartment."
"We just sorta awkwardly talked for a couple hours, when he left he texted me and told me how pretty he thought I was and called me an "Amazon Woman" cause I'm so tall. I responded with "I didn't like that you randomly showed up at my apartment without asking" and then he got upset, said some more ridiculous things and I blocked his number."
- ZaymeJ
basic knowledge...
"Some guys lack basic knowledge. Walking home from the bus stop one night - about a 2km walk to my place. As I'm walking along, I see there's a guy slowly walking slight quite a ways behind me - maybe about 600m. Suddenly he starts sprinting toward me, I think it's to catch another bus or something, but no, it's just private cars on this road."
"I try speeding up but I'm tired and frankly unsure of what's happening. By the time he catches up to me, he's like 'sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.. I say, "you really need to be careful about interacting with women in the street at such an odd hour of the night."
"He says something like, 'I know, I just wanted to talk to you.' He didn't give off too much of a threatening vibe so I kept walking and he made conversation. Thank God his house was before mine, so he couldn't figure out where I lived. Took my number, texted me immediately to see if I received his number, and then thankfully I didn't have to see him again."
People Share Which Social Norms Absolutely Baffle Them | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Scared
"Carving my name into his leg and we didn't even date or anything of the sort."
Boys, boys, boys, it's like you've never met another living human. I mean, my words are gone. I don't want to know more, but I must. So let's...
Fists
Seth Meyers Lol GIF by Late Night with Seth MeyersGiphy"Well he offered to beat the crap out of my ex on our first ever meet. There wasn't a second meeting."
- Pohtate
the good guy
"Endlessly trying to convince me (oh, so romantic) why he was «a good guy», he wasn't.The thing is it became a huge red flag. See, I was the dumb one for not recognizing a good guy when he stood in front of me. I was to blame that he was so intense and so into me. It was my doing. His words. Oh, and then I was a c**t for not wanting to be with him. Red flags, from here to eternity. Yeah, a good guy. Sure."
Where to Begin?
"So many stories to choose from ha. A guy I thought I was friends with confronted me that he wants to be more, even though right at the start of our friendship I made it clear I had zero interest in him. Quite frankly I found him really unattractive. He proceeded to guilt me saying I'm shallow, disappointing blahblahblah."
US
"Said that God has a plan and that plan involves 'us'. They refused to take no for an answer and they always kept touching me even when I told them to stop, as I hate being touched due to Autism. They kept asking around for stuff about me, and said his prayers would be "rewarded."
"Couldn't seem to comprehend that I wasn't interested or that I didn't care for things that "all women love." Kept telling me how to dress and act too, saying things like "It's not what God intended. Fun fact: I'm Atheist. You can imagine they weren't too fond of that idea..."
You Don't Own Me
Good Bye Reaction GIF by MASTERPIECE | PBSGiphy"Tried to scare off or even fight any other guy that was interested in me, even though we weren't dating."
Ok, ladies, I'm sorry. That's all I got. Men, what in the name of God?! Please pay attention to this thread. It will help us all.
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
These guys might have a few ideas. Reddit user Eicaker asked:
Boys, if it was considered more universally acceptable, what is a "girly" thing you would like to do?
Weirdly enough, a lot of these so-called “girly” things are just basic human decency.
Be the change, dudes!
“Hug people more/compliment people more, I'm a guy and whenever I do any of those things people think I'm being weird and it's so annoying.”
“In a weird way I wish I was a girl, but not because of any girl thing except for how supportive and friendly they are, particularly with other girls. It sounds like an easy way to make a lot of friends.”
This is so sweet.
Music Video Singing GIF by FaouziaGiphy“I brush my friends hair and she taught me how to braid it. We keep it quiet.”
“I taught my son to french braid hair when he was a young teen because I remember being impressed as hell with a guy who could do this. My son practiced and got really good at it.
He's reported back that girls have responded very positively to this skill.”
More guys need to do this.
“Talk more openly about feelings, some sh*t really just needs to be worked out.
Edit: This is just a general suggestion, I personally have a support structure in my life that allows for this. However thank you for the concern(s), comments, and the awards (which I never expected).”
“My best friend is a guy and whenever he needs to call me to talk he apologizes? After. Like "Sorry that was like two hours, I'm just really frustrated." And I always have to remind him that that's why I'm here. Like we're friends dude, don't feel like you're bothering me because you want to talk about how someone did you dirty. I end up just sitting in my car talking so we're not constantly interrupted by my kids trying to talk, it's not like I had to do anything.”
Society has really weird rules for what men can consume or wear. If these things became more socially acceptable, I think the world would be a better place.
Fruity cocktails are the best way to get drunk.
“Drink a rainbow colored cocktail at a bar and watch more romcom sh*t.”
“"Real men drink beer!"
OK sasquatch. You drink your beer-flavored seltzer water and I'll continue to throw back these exceptional 1-800-f*ck-me-ups.”
Dollhouses are the best.
episode 8 designer GIFGiphy“Not a guy, but one time I went to a famous toy store with a guy friend and they had a HUGE dollhouse section. I was freaking out because I love dollhouses, and my friend's eyes got really big and he confessed that he had always loved dollhouses but never felt like he was allowed to play with them as a kid.
So we hung out looking at tiny furniture for like an hour.”
Why are scents gendered?
“I want to smell like a coconut or a summer breeze, not BATTLESHARK or TIMBERKNIFE.
Also please make more conditioner for guys. I don't want to buy a bottle that works as shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, lotion, and siracha sauce all in one.”
People Share The 'Dirty Secrets' That Their Bosses Don't Want Customers To Know
Anyone can bake!
“I used to think baking was girly, but I've been doing it since a kid and I absolutely love it.”
“I find this stereotype so funny. Hmm, yes, you know what's manly? Having to rely on others for food because you can't be bothered to touch a stove or oven. I cook for myself and I love doing it.”
If we stopped assigning gender to the most random things, the world would be a better place.
This guy gets it.
skin care pain GIF by iOne DigitalGiphy“Guy in his 40s married with two kids. My hobbies include playing drums / woodworking / hiking. I take baths and put bubbles in because I like nice smells and it relaxes aches after working. I use moisturiser that includes sunblock because I'm in my 40s and my skin looks f*cking great.
I use conditioner on my hair because it's no extra effort and makes a massive difference. I drink whatever cocktails sound appealing / I haven't tried before because you only live once. I prefer mixed company because guy chat can be tedious.
I take care of what I eat but I'm not obsessive about exercise. I enjoy gardening and my home is full of houseplants which I tend religiously. I have a huge interest in design / art and music of all types with a special interest in jewellery design.
If somebody tells you sh*t is girly its pure ignorance and at my age I have zero f*cks for that kind of limited mindset.”
Everyone needs a plant or two.
“I don't know if this counts, since it's not generally girly thing but I'd love to have a lot of houseplants.
But not the typical ones no no no, I want to focus on various herbs. Be it conventional ones like mint and its types or more wild ones like cowslick or firegrass. Essentially I want to get as close to a witch as possible while still keeping my logical worldview.”
Leggings are the best.
“So, uh, don't judge but -
Leggings are pretty great.
Seriously, there's a reason they've become so popular with women, they're just really d*mn comfortable. And I know they've gained popularity in men for athletic purposes but not just casual wear, maybe they will someday.”
Men, just be yourselves. Even if it means embracing your feminine side.
Cat dads are the best.
Always Sunny Eyes GIFGiphy“I love kittens and hate dogs. Don't get me wrong, I would never harm a dog and I get sad if I see a dog in a bad situation. I just don't want to live with them.
Anyways, the taboo of a guy with cats held me back for quite awhile. And I wish I could have shown more of myself in my twenties.”
Wear that skirt, boy.
“Wear a skirt. Well, people do not complain if I do. Wear long nails. Well, most people do not complain if I do. Wear nail polish. Most people do not care. Waste tons of money on fancy shoes, bags and stuff.”
Flowers for everyone.
“Flowers. Fresh ones all over the house. Roses on the piano and tulips on my organ. Buying flowers at the store I feel like I have to pretend they are for my wife but secretly they are for me!”
Preach.
Pool Party Lol GIF by SA CompanyGiphy“Considering I grew up with only women and I'm comfortable with myself and my sexuality I literally just do whatever I want....
Hugs, flamboyant exaggerations when I'm excited, hand movements when I talk, gasping and putting my hand to my chest etc.
Anyone who is uncomfortable behaving like themselves needs to get over how other people view them and just be themselves.
I get that the question is a generalization, but I think it is utterly pathetic that most guys feel like they have to put on this "manly man" persona for anyone to take them seriously.
I'm more of a "man" than any of the guys I grew up with and I'm 1000% more feminine than all of them.”
They’re the best.
“I'd like a lightweight robe. Can't really find a decent one as a dude without looking/feeling like Hugh Hefner or looking too feminine to feel comfortable.”
I personally love a man who embraces the not-traditionally masculine parts of life. My husband is the best cook I know and does almost all of the cooking in our house (I help sometimes). There are still a lot of men out there who would consider that a "woman's job", but talent in the kitchen supersedes gender.
In short, toxic masculinity makes no sense, and it needs to be stopped. Let men enjoy things
That prohibits most of us from having the courage to ask someone out. Some people's egos are way too fragile.
So how do you encourage someone to throw caution to the wind and take a chance on love? Just tell them to go for it. Besides, what's the worst that can happen?
Apparently, it turns out there are some worst-case scenarios as experienced by these single cisgender males who were turned down and drop-kicked to the curb after asking a girl out.
Curious to hear about their shattered self-esteem, Redditor JadenYuki15 asked:
"Dear boys of reddit, we all know the whole, 'the worst thing she can say is no,' and that its bs. What's the worst rejection you've ever received
Stingers
The zingers here really dented these Redditors' self-esteem.
Harsh Dis
"I asked a girl out in high school and she just looked at her friends, said eww, and walked away. It crushed my self esteem for months."
A Horrible Person
"There was this girl I was on good terms with. Good friends for a number of years, always had a crush on her but just decided I was done hiding that. So I asked her out."
"You'd do much better asking a face surgeon for a consultation. I'm going to take a shower. Bye."
"Yeah...I mean, we were good friends, a simple 'no' would have sufficed. Unsurprisingly our friendship didn't last much longer because boy oh boy she turned into a horrible person. And by that I mean she started hanging with some really f'ked up people, and when I did actually end up in a relationship, she got super jealous (the f'k) and tried her best to end it. And she succeeded."
– We1tfunk
The Punchline
"At a bar with a friend, I asked a girl for her number and she said, 'I have one but not for you.' I went back to my friend and we laughed and got drunk."
The Bad Insult
"I asked someone out and she said she'd pardon my language: never go out with a 'retard.' I have borderline intellectual functioning but she called me that because I was in special Ed classes. Here I am at 27 and haven't asked anyone out since high school."
Awkward Red-Faced GIF by moodmanGiphySalt On The Wound
In addition to being rejected, more humiliation was to come for these poor guys.
Sorry, J.K.
"I went to school with a girl I ended up nicknaming JK."
"Her initials were actually JK, so she never thought much about it, but I called her that because she was always 'just kidding'."
"She would flirt with you nonstop, making you think she really had a thing for you, until you built up the courage to ask her out. Then she'd laugh and say she didn't think about you like that."
"Weeks later she'd start flirting again, really pouring it on that she wanted you, rinse and repeat."
"Wasn't 'the worst' rejection or anything but man was it aggravating to keep falling for it!"
The Popular Girl
"I asked a girl out privately in highschool, she rejected me politely but told everyone at school that I asked her out. That would have been fine but she is a popular girl in highschool while I am an ordinary, unnoticeable student. Every boys that liked her bullied me until the end of the year for confessing to her."
Former Flat Earthers Explain What Finally Made Them Come Around | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Science is science. Fact is fact. Truth is truth and simple is simple. These are things we must now attest to in 2021. Can we please all get onboard with wha...Team Effort
"Making small talk at a bar with a girl and offered to buy her a drink. She said 'nooo, I'll buy you a drink!' Can't argue with that, I thought, and accepted."
"She got me a gutter shot... Apparently she was dating the bartender and it was a thing they did whenever she got hit on."
"Ninja edit: a gutter shot is when the bartender scoops up a shot glass full of whatever spilled drinks ended up in the trough behind the bar. It's disgusting and probably not sanitary. Anyway, she was a b*tch and that bartender was an a**hole. I left without paying and never went back."
Twisting The Knife
"I told a girl in high school i had feelings for her and then she completely ignored it and told me about how she was f'king her personal trainer and proceeded to send me pictures of them together."
Height Prejudice
"She laughed in my face and said, 'Oh, you were serious? I don't date short guys.' I'm 5'4."
"6 years later I'm doing very well, she is couch-surfing."
"Saw her at a bar recently and she didn't recognize me, partly because I grew a beard and partly because she was so sloshed."
"She tried to hit on me, and I'm actually proud that I just said no thanks, but I'm flattered."
"Proud of myself, sad for her."
Scorned Dance Partner
"Girl I was in to in middle school, who was supposedly into me to. We used to dance at the dances, kind of. At the end of one, everyone was pairing up for the next dance, so I asked her if she wanted to go to the next dance with me. No hesitating, she just said no. Hurt like hell. But I still had feelings for her and it ruined a possible relationship later because I couldn't let that girl go."
The Shallow Date
"A friend set me up on a date with a wonderful woman and we got along well. But when I took off my hat and revealed that I was bald, she gasped and walked briskly to the bathroom."
Lies
The passive aggressive type of rejection cuts deeper.
The Excuse
"I met this girl at a Metal concert (specifically Gwar), she came up to me and was scared because of the mosh pit, and insisted I hold onto her because I was the biggest guy there (6'5" and 250lbs), she was cute so of course I did. After the show ended I forgot to get her number but gave her a drumstick of one of the opening bands. Fast forward a few days later I get a message on Facebook asking if I was the guy who gave her the drum stick, and I said yes. We ended up hanging out, a few times, got lunch, and I asked her out, I was told she does not date younger guys (she I guess was 25, I was 20 at the time), Fast forward a few days later, I find out she was dating an 18 year old so surprised me with a curveball."
Presumed Single
"I bought a girl a few drinks at a nightclub in my early twenties. After about 3 drinks, I asked her if she wanted to come hang with my friends and I. She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek and says 'Thanks for the drinks I have to get back to my boyfriend now.' My guy friends were laughing their a**es off."
– RAM_592
The Prom Date
"Asked a girl to our prom in high school. She said someone already asked her. She came with her brother."
Based on these responses, it seems some rejections are no worse than any of the others.
Although it may still sting, "I'm just not that into you" is better than a cruel punchline harsh enough to annihilate a dude's self-esteem, stomp it to pieces, and pour acid all over it.
The good news is, the ones who have the capacity to insult you at a vulnerable moment are the ones you would not want to take home and introduce to mom.
Don't give up hope, gents. There's definitely a keeper out there somewhere for you who will be worth the wait.
Love Starbucks.
GiphyA gay dude loudly called me cute at a Starbucks one time. I'm not gay but it was flattering.
Glitchwinkle
I've got green-blue eyes.....
I've got green-blue eyes, and given I've got a Mediterranean coloring, my eyes are really brought out, so I should be used to having comments by women over the years about my eyes but I actually get really embarrassed when it happens. It's more awkward for me it's one of the first things they say to me because I just feel put on the spot and don't know where to go from there.
comrade_batman
"You have a nice butt, sir!"
One time I was walking on campus and someone yelled at me "You have a nice butt, sir!"
I was flattered.
kengtron3000
As an Arrow...
Flattered. I was at a red light on my motorcycle.
This gay guy whistled at me.
I laughed and slapped my butt.
I have no idea why I did that, I'm straight as an arrow.
wseibert
Damn Chicago man.
GiphyAfter a Chicago Cubs game, walking passed the bars and some chick who was totally crapfaced started yelling at me that she thought I was cute and wanted me to come talk to her. Since I was with family I just kept walking, and then some brodouche started yelling "hey bro this girl wants to talk to you." Damn Chicago man.
Alexallen21
"YOU'RE REALLY HOT"
I pulled over to help a car that was on the side of the road a few years ago. A guy and two girls, and they turned out to be lost (I live out in the sticks). I told em to just follow me and I'd get em back to town. As I pulled up to a stoplight, they pulled alongside me to let me know they had finally gotten cellphone service and could use GPS the rest of the way.
As they pulled off, one of the girls leaned out the window and yelled "YOU'RE REALLY HOT" and tbh I don't think I've ever smiled that hard.
But yeah, that's the only time it's ever happened.
ShoddyBiscotti1
"you can keep doing that alllllll night!"
Only time I can remember is back in high school when I was playing baseball.
We were at an away game and just out on the field doing stretches and warm ups while people got into the stands.
I was near the stands but facing away from the crowd doing some stretches. Bending over and touching my toes, squats, stuff like that. Things I did before literally every game. All of a sudden from behind me I hear "you can keep doing that alllllll night!" my head whips around to see three girls all giggling. I'm sure my face turned beet red.
I have to say, as a guy, it was a pretty nice confidence boost.
JohnyUtah_
It happened a few times when I was younger.
One time I was working at Woolco (Canadian store that eventually became WalMart). I was gathering carts though the relatively empty strip mall, and two women started following behind me, back maybe, I don't know ... 50 feet? Anyway, they started talking loud enough for me to hear. "I would ride him so he couldn't walk." That sort of thing. I didn't know what to do - I was only 18 and pretty shy - so I just kind of hunched my shoulders and kept gathering carts.
Another time I was walking through a mall downtown and a bunch of girls were hanging out. I remember I was walking really confident like, because that was around the time in my life I decided I was just going to fake feeling confident until I actually FELT confident ... so I walked by them and the lead girl said "Now THAT is a man".
That actually felt pretty good. I liked that one. I could have done without them being obviously mid-teens though. But ... shrug. Still was cool.
StygianUnknown
Lollipop.
A lot of times although i think i am not really that attractive.
The earliest i can remember was when i was 14 yrs old having a haircut. The friend of the hair dresser came in and she made a pop sound and she asked the hair dresser "Can you ask him if he already experienced getting lollipopped". And since then, i would always drag a friend or my cousin to accompany me going to salon/barbershop.
eggsyran
The Stache.....
GiphyMost recent- incredibly gorgeous blonde, very drunk, leans out the window of an SUV while I was walking by. Yells "Hey BABY, I'm a mustache rider! Can I ride your mustache?"
fskern