# Does a woman always know when she is being "checked out" by a man? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582 "2009-05-25T17:37:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/1 "2009-05-25T17:37:56Z")
…or are they sometime oblivious? Can you feel the eyes on you? Can a woman generally tell when she is being “checked out” by a man, however subtly, or is not always that obvious? ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/2 "2009-05-25T18:17:29Z")
Always. Don’t forget, women have better peripheral vision than men, and are attuned to social cues, such as where eyes are directed. Always, always, always. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/3 "2009-05-25T18:23:42Z")
_scratches head_ How would I know? I mean, I know when I know, but I don’t know when I don’t know, you know? ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/4 "2009-05-25T18:25:41Z")
I doubt they are aware that they are being checked out from _behind_.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/5 "2009-05-25T18:57:16Z")
Yes, we all have 360 degree vision and ESP as well. So cut it out. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/6 "2009-05-25T19:07:40Z")
I’m just as oblivious as men it seems, 'cause I’m always more interested in what’s going on -like watching the game as opposed to looking out for who’s watching me. I’m not a hot girl though, so I’m not attuned to that anyway. I guess what I’m trying to say is that rather than looking for non-existent people who might be checking me out, I get on with my life. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/7 "2009-05-25T20:24:59Z")
> [@](#): > > like watching the game Your obliviousness is apparent in this little snippet. 😛 You’re not going to be checked out by a guy while a game is on. No woman is. The OP I presume was talking about when a woman is out in public. Grocery or clothes shopping or in a library or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![SpasticKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@SpasticKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpasticKitty)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/8 "2009-05-25T20:27:22Z")
I wouldn’t say always. Usually I’m aware that someone is checking me out, but I can also be a bit oblivious. I was completely taken off guard downtown the other day when a contruction worker whistled at me as I was bending over trying to get something out of the backseat of my car. The “whistling construction worker” seems like such an over-played TV cliche, so it’s always kind of surprising to me when it happens in real life. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/9 "2009-05-25T20:38:34Z")
Heh- I usually know. I once caught a guy checking out my ass while I was walking from the pub to the parking lot with my kids- not once but twice! Pretty funny- he was old enough to be my dad but played in the band we had just seen, so I was cool with it and not squicked out- he’s actually a very nice, cool guy. With his eyes on my ass. 😃 I have no problem with a “check out” from a guy- makes a girl feel like she’s still doing something right. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/10 "2009-05-25T21:11:40Z")
I often, but not always notice, at least based on my (female) companions’ comments. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/11 "2009-05-25T21:58:27Z")
Apparently not. I remember being out once with some friends at a comedy club and one (female) noted that a couple of guys at the beginning of the night checked me out and so did another guy at the end–apparently it was embarrassingly obvious, but I had no idea. And I have been told my other male friends that other guys are checking me out. I never seem to notice it when I’m alone. I guess I’m just that self-absorbed. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/12 "2009-05-25T22:10:02Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Your obliviousness is apparent in this little snippet. 😛 > > You’re not going to be checked out by a guy while a game is on. No woman is. > > The OP I presume was talking about when a woman is out in public. Grocery or clothes shopping or in a library or whatever. I didn’t mean a game on TV. I normally go to the games…a fun fact I forgot to tell you. 🙂 I’ve seen guys checking other women out at the game, but not me. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Rascal\_s\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@Rascal\_s\_Mom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rascal_s_Mom)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/13 "2009-05-25T22:21:06Z")
Never notice. My (then) 12-year-old son had to point it out to me and I still denied it. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/14 "2009-05-25T22:25:56Z")
Almost always. Men are not usually the most subtle creatures when it comes to checking out women. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/15 "2009-05-25T22:30:19Z")
Seldom if ever. Then again, I once went on a date with a guy and didn’t realize it. Trust me, some women can be every bit as oblivious as some men. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/16 "2009-05-25T22:37:21Z")
> [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > I didn’t mean a game on TV. I normally go to the games…a fun fact I forgot to tell you. 🙂 I’ve seen guys checking other women out at the game, but not me. 😛 Ohhhhh! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/17 "2009-05-25T23:01:32Z")
> [@Rascal\_s\_Mom](#): > > Never notice. My (then) 12-year-old son had to point it out to me and I still denied it. Your son told you? He sounds like a rascal! ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/18 "2009-05-25T23:30:42Z")
Sometimes, sometimes I don’t. I remember one time a friend, who was face to face with me, had to point out that some guys standing next to me where checking my cleavage. That is not hard to do, as I’m barely 5’4" with heels. But I wasn’t paying attention to them, and, since I was dressed with cleavage, I couldn’t care less who was checking me out. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/19 "2009-05-26T01:04:10Z")
Honestly, I try not to look to even notice because eye contact is often mistaken for interest or an invitation. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/20 "2009-05-26T02:19:56Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Sometimes, sometimes I don’t. I remember one time a friend, who was face to face with me, had to point out that some guys standing next to me where checking my cleavage. That is not hard to do, as I’m barely 5’4" with heels. But I wasn’t paying attention to them, and, since I was dressed with cleavage, I couldn’t care less who was checking me out. Some people love cleavage, personally I look down on it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582.md?page=2)