Blood and Guts and Ice Cream Dreams

Soapboxing: Internet Compliments

bettyfelon:

jessiawesome:

Okay, I don’t like to get on a soapbox and Explain Things to you guys very often, but this past week and especially today I’m feeling the need to climb on one of those. This is gonna be quick and to the point, so bear with me.

I take photos of myself and post them on instagram and the rest of the internet. So do my friends. I can’t speak for my friends and their experiences  but when you see a gratuitous photo of me, chances are I’m feeling okay about how I’m looking that day and want to document it. It isn’t a big deal. I’m not looking for compliments; I think its fun.

Don’t get me wrong, of course compliments are okay and very flattering. I’m flattered when someone says I look “pretty” or “cute”. I’m flattered when someone compliments my OOTD (outfit of the day). It is a nice feeling.

There’s a line where it gets inappropriate and that’s what I’m writing about today:

Girls do not want to hear about you wanting to marry us.

Unless you’re dating me and - wait a second -seems to me you’re not, and yeah- you’re a complete stranger, do not ask me to marry you. Proposing to a person you see photos of on the internet is not a good way to show a lady you think she’s lookin’ swell. We are actual people, not robots. What you say does have an impact on us. You’re not just shouting at blank space. We read what you write

We are not looking for your approval.

Yes, everyone likes to feel validated to a point but when a person is taking photos of their daily outfits/mugs because that is their hobby/job/passion, you do not have the right to incline that what they look like is somehow Up To Your Standards and Good Job Doing That, Strange Woman On The Internet. It is presumptuous and rude. 

And since we’re on the subject: We don’t want to have sex with you.

When a lady is showing off her daily outfit or her costume/cosplay, making remarks on how you want to have sex with her is absolutely disgusting.

 Shame on you. Do you speak to women off the internet like that? At a bar, do you say “oh my god! BIG TITS *-* ” to a woman you wish to talk to? No? Wouldn’t really work on an ACTUAL women, would it? ‘Cause it is creepy, right? Then why the hell do you think that is appropriate? I cannot FATHOM public situations where this is deemed appropriate, to make lewd remarks to complete strangers. Don’t do it. You’re creepy. It isn’t cute.

Okay! Got it? Good!

This.

I mean, there are dudes who say that in real life, but by that point it’s almost not worth trying to explain to them why that’s creepy and lewd.