Compli’men’t

Can males still compliment females without the female feeling threatened? Can males still compliment females without being perceived as predators? The answer is yes, although this singular response is too elementary for a complicated issue. In a recent situation involving a male complimenting me, a female, complications arose as to whether I considered the situation threatening or not. The situation wasn’t a dramatic one; it was merely an exchange of a few words. However, inner conflict stirred within me as I tried to quickly analyse the words directed at me, ‘hey, nice car.’ My first glance was instinctive, to place a face with the words. And even then, I was already in defence mode. The triggers were two white strangers who were young adult males and whom I presumed to be heterosexual. According to a 2012 survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, of all women who had experienced one…