- Being told my one of my (very kind and also very silly, male) running mates that I have two secret admirers on Skid Row
- Being told by a (not very stable) man who I am pretty sure is one of those said admirers that he "likes my neck" (not, "you have a nice neck" or "you're neck is pretty" but "I like your neck.")**
- Having a slightly confusing interaction with a man whom I realized was trying to hold the elevator for me and my (female) coworker
- Receiving several lingering looks from a man at Starbucks who looked to be with a girlfriend (at the very least, a girl friend)***
- Feeling empowered when I walked into the auto parts store and found the head light bulb I needed, which feeling soon turned to frustration and a little bit of foolishness as I cracked a minor part, struggled to detach the old bulb from the power source, then couldn't get my hood to close right when I was finally done
- Deciding not to ask my apartment manager or another (male) neighbor for help (and going to the internet instead)
- Seeing my male neighbor minutes later**** and receiving his compliment on my boots, which, along with my dress, I still had on from work
*I recognize that this list isn't all of what it meant to be a woman today, but these interactions seemed representative and poignant, especially juxtaposed with each other.
**Necks are a thing?
***Men in Los Angeles take more liberty to look than in other cities, I've noticed. There are probably other aspects to this list that are determined by place, too.
****Where were you a few minutes earlier, buddy?
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