Dear Prudence:

No problem, you can respond whenever you have the time.

“Men don’t even look at me (and I notice them looking at others)“- this reminds me that as a teenager I was upset that teenage boys were looking at other girls, approaching them, but not approaching me. Years later, I realized that I wouldn’t know if they looked at me or not, because in their presence, whenever there was a chance that they may look at me, I reacted by looking away, avoiding the possibility of eye contact (I was too shy).

On their end, the teenage boys, if they see a girl looking away, they assume she is not interested. On the other hand, if they see a girl looking at them, making eye contact and smiling, talking or behaving flirtatiously.. that’s an invitation to be approached. I think that this is true in regard to being approached at any age, not just teenage.

anita