# Do People Stare At You, And Why Do They Do That? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2010, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635 "2010-11-23T05:01:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/41 "2010-11-24T03:43:01Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > That could be it for the OP too. Maybe they just think they know you? A lot of people do tell me I look like someone they know. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/42 "2010-11-24T03:46:52Z")
Little kids stare at my wheelchair. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/43 "2010-11-24T03:59:40Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > A lot of people do tell me I look like someone they know. That could be it (or mostly it) then. Another thought occurred to me, you could just be in their “stare line of sight” 😃 so to speak. That is, they’re sitting somewhere eating a meal or something, and you just happen to be in the place where their stare would naturally go, in the most comfortable position for their head/neck/eyes, etc. I’m sure you haven’t suddenly grown a third eye or something. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/44 "2010-11-24T04:59:46Z")
Used to happen frequently when in China. Now here in the US people tend to stare when my daughter is out of whack (she’s autistic). I need to print up some of the “what to do during the first 100 days of an autism diagnosis” cards that one can give to strangers when there is an outburst to try foster some understanding. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/45 "2010-11-24T06:51:06Z")
I don’t get stared at, but my partner does all the time (he’s 6’10", thin, and very striking-looking). We get stared at when we’re together, and sometimes people come on to him. It bothers me a lot, but not him. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/46 "2010-11-24T16:06:38Z")
Yep, I get stared at a ton. I’m a fairly attractive young woman and have a cute face and big eyes (which I assume is why the babies, small children, and men are looking), but I am also unusually thin, which I think is another reason I get visual attention, especially from straight women. Strangers comment on my weight/body all the time (people yell things out their car window, etc) so I know it sticks out. That’s the only unusual thing about my appearance here in America, I am average height and have light coloring, all of which are fairly standard in my immediate area, a suburb where a big majority of people have primarily Irish ancestry. I’ve always lived in places where there are a lot of other white, blondish, blue-eyed people around and I’ve never been out of the country. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/47 "2010-11-24T16:12:08Z")
I get stared at, then told who I look like. I hate it. I don’t understand people’s urge to tell me that I look like a celebrity. It may be true, but what’s the point in telling me? I find a lot of people do this. When there are photo posts here, someone will invariably tell someone else who they resemble. Amazingly rude. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/48 "2010-11-24T18:26:30Z")
I’m too oblivious to my surroundings to know if people are staring at me. Occassionally I’ll be out with a friend and they’ll comment that so-and-so is looking at us, and I’m like wha? Where? Who? I suspect there’s a whole lot going on around me that I can’t see. Both a blessing and a curse. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/49 "2010-11-26T03:24:50Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I get stared at a lot by Indian people, as I don’t really look Indian, and my SO is Chinese. Staring is not really considered rude in Indian culture, at least not IME, but 'tis annoying nonetheless. During my 3 month back packing trip through India, I found the staring to be unbelievable. People of all ages looked at me like I had a monkey on my head or something. And it didn’t seem to matter if I was in a remote area or in New Delhi, the staring never stopped. The cities and even small towns seem to have hordes of people just standing around with nothing to do. When I walked by, they finally had something to do for a few minutes: STARE AT ME! Oh look, he’s getting on the train, or eating a banana, or asking for directions, etc. No matter how normal me activities were, people were seemingly fascinated by them. When I returned a few years later with my wife, the staring squads increased ten fold. I’m a blue eyed blond and my wife is Chinese. Don’t get me wrong I LOVED India (my wide did, too!) ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/50 "2010-11-26T03:40:12Z")
I haven’t noticed people staring at me. People to tend to smile at me a lot though, particularly the elderly. Friends have commented on it. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/51 "2010-11-26T03:46:38Z")
> [@jali](#): > > I get stared at, then told who I look like. > > I hate it. > > I don’t understand people’s urge to tell me that I look like a celebrity. It may be true, but what’s the point in telling me? > > I find a lot of people do this. When there are photo posts here, someone will invariably tell someone else who they resemble. > > Amazingly rude. I had a friend who was the spitting image of Gwyneth Paltrow. It literally ruled her life. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/52 "2010-11-26T05:59:09Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > \ (my wide did, too!) Wow - most dangerous typo EVER! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/53 "2010-11-26T08:27:03Z")
I have an unusual voice, and sometimes people stare the first time they hear me. ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/54 "2010-11-26T13:10:59Z")
It’ll be because I fell off the top of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down, and apparently I’m still not out of the woods yet. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/55 "2010-11-26T13:48:08Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I used to know a guy who got stared at quite a bit. He had multiple physical deformities. And he was pretty bitter about his situation. I’ve never been handsome. Not for a day. I can’t blame people if they stare; I can blame myself for how I handle it. I try to smile or throw humor or a pantomime with a smile into the situation and if it works, great. And if it doesn’t, I’ll just nod my head to one side and walk away thinking “Oh well…” But that’s on good days. On days when I don’t want to deal, I’ll just look down. And… I’m not going to lie & say their haven’t been situations where I have been in a Really bad mood & have used it for evil. For example, can you do the Hannibal Lechter _slither-fwip **slither-fwip** slither-fwip_ really well? Add that onto an imposing presence that was a back-hand slap of genetics (possibly a few round-kicks too) with a few scars in the mix here & there. Then again, I figure Anyone can just say “F-ck-Off”. It takes talent to make it more… personal. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/56 "2010-11-26T14:41:24Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > Seriously, I went to the beach in Tuscany and I’ve never been so blatantly stared at in my life. I don’t know if they thought I wouldn’t notice or they just didn’t give a shit about how rude it was. They figure, if you’re going to stare, Just Do It. You shouldn’t stare, but if you’re going to break the rule, you should break it openly rather than try to act all “ooooh I’m not! No, no, I don’t keep stealing looks at the cute exotic chick! It’s someone else!” Sort of like how Italian and Hispanic guys will stare at you after a wolf whistle, while several times in the US I got a whistle or a honk from some glow-in-the-dark dude who tried to look like it wasn’t him. The way we see it, trying to be coy about breaking the rule adds cowardice to the count of faults. ---
**Author:** ![LegsAkimbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@LegsAkimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegsAkimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/57 "2010-11-26T16:14:16Z")
I never get that, but if I was sitting immobile somewhere, like a restaurant table, I would just aim my eyeballs directly into those of the starer and lock on and not let go. I suppose after a minute or two I might very slowly and almost imperceptibly tip my head to one side and start to sort of glaze over, becoming increasingly vacant. That would get pretty creepy and they would likely look away. It would be fun. Better still if the person with me would join in. ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/58 "2010-11-26T16:16:56Z")
Yes, men and babies. I have one of those generically pleasant and attractive faces (think your typical American female broadcaster) and I’m told I have a great smile, and when men and babies stare at me I often smile back, which I guess encourages them to stare some more. It used to make me uncomfortable but nowadays I figure I should appreciate it while it lasts, although sometimes it can be disconcerting, especially if I’m on a date. I also get told I look like this or that celebrity–it’s the generic blonde thing–by people who have been staring. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/59 "2010-11-26T16:44:58Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Little kids stare at my wheelchair. I get that also. When I am well enough to just use crutches, I get a lot of comment on them. I have custom [purple folding canadians](http://www.awardprosthetics.com/AwardFoldingCrutches.html) OK, I admit, they are purple…=) I can highly recommend these folks. Good customer service, and the foldability means I can actually fold them up and put them in a bag on my travel chair and be able to get up and gimp around on an airplane or when I need to transfer or whatever. Though the elastic cord inside is whippy as hell and nailed me once or twice while I was getting used to them. I get more comments on the canadians and how much easier they are than the standard axillary ones. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635/60 "2010-11-27T03:53:47Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > I’m the only black person, besides Prince, in the entire state. People never stop looking at me. This just about killed me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-stare-at-you-and-why-do-they-do-that/561635.md?page=4)