# 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:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/41 "2009-05-27T18:25:08Z")
Missed edit window (again) I even do this the times am in Doha and there the girls are nearly always wearing head to toe Burkha šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/42 "2009-05-27T18:30:32Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Maybe itā€™s just me, but Iā€™m a lot more selective than that. After a first glance, itā€™s probably only one woman in twenty, if that, that I ā€œcheck out.ā€ Ah okayā€¦ I see what you mean now. Maybe ā€˜checking outā€™ means something more to Americans than it does to me. To say ā€œā€¦its probably only one woman in 20ā€ means you also looked at the other 19 and ( for want of a better phrase) dismissed them immediately. Okay, yes that may happen, but I think we are agreeing that we still look at the 19 šŸ˜‰ Everyone gets the glance! ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/43 "2009-05-27T18:58:10Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > _scratches head_ > > How would I know? I mean, I know when I know, but I donā€™t know when I donā€™t know, you know? Iā€™m watching you right now. I just thought you should know. And, yes, you are quite hot. (Please donā€™t hate me for noticing.) šŸ˜ƒ _ **- JACK a.** _ ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/44 "2009-05-27T20:05:36Z")
> [@manila](#): > > Errā€¦ I may get my man card ticketed here, how can I put thisā€¦ Donā€™t weā€¦err, check out EVERY mature female we see? I know I do. And have done every day of my life since I started getting interested in girls, whether I was in a relationship or not. > > Okay its not a leer or stare ( and I hope / think its not obvious) Its just something that we do, I know I do and we all do yup? right? Colleagues, girl behind the counter, girl riding the bike on the street. Come on fellas back me up hereā€¦ Its normal isnā€™t it? > > Or are we talking about something else here? ā€œDo you think women have a clue what goes on up here? What do they think, itā€™s all stock quotes, drill bit sizes? They donā€™t know shit! Letā€™s keep it that way.ā€ ā€“ _[Roger Dodger](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299117/)_ Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/45 "2009-05-27T20:30:23Z")
> [@manila](#): > > ā€¦ Everyone gets the glance! Well, of course. I donā€™t avert my gaze from anyone I meet, male or female. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/46 "2009-05-27T21:10:09Z")
> [@Claire\_Beauchamp](#): > > Yes, we all have 360 degree vision and ESP as well. So cut it out. And us guys have our countermeasuresā€¦ Me: ā€œThese arenā€™t the ta-tas he was looking at.ā€ \ Her: ā€œThese arenā€™t the ta-tas he was looking at.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/47 "2009-05-28T04:01:05Z")
He can go about his business ---
**Author:** ![audreyayn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@audreyayn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audreyayn)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/48 "2009-05-28T06:40:30Z")
Yes, even if theyā€™re wearing sunglasses. Men typically move their whole head when they look, and some make gestures such as sucking their teeth even when they seem not to have noticed Iā€™m looking at them. Plus, a lot of men seem to want you to know theyā€™re checking you out so you might reply in turn. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/49 "2009-05-28T23:39:10Z")
No, apparently Iā€™m pretty oblivious to the male gaze. I was wearing a halter top one hot summer day and the guy I was dating at the time informed me, late in the afternoon, that heā€™d spent the whole day staring at my boobs. I had no clue up to that point. I do occasionally notice a look and a smile from a stranger, which I appreciate. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/50 "2009-05-29T00:20:49Z")
Iā€™m oblivious too. Iā€™ve been married for twenty years, lost 40 pounds, and I would think Iā€™m attracting some looks, but itā€™s been so long I probably wouldnā€™t recognize it. After all, the only one I have to turn on is Ivylad, and I can do that in my sleep (and have apparently done so on occasion ;)) ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/51 "2009-05-29T12:52:50Z")
> [@The\_Weird\_One](#): > > No, apparently Iā€™m pretty oblivious to the male gaze. I was wearing a halter top one hot summer day and the guy I was dating at the time informed me, late in the afternoon, that heā€™d spent the whole day staring at my boobs. I had no clue up to that point. I do occasionally notice a look and a smile from a stranger, which I appreciate. Wait- isnā€™t the whole point of wearing a halter top to have people check out your boobs? ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/52 "2009-05-29T13:45:29Z")
Yes. Of course the only reason I would wear a halter top like [this](http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3018234?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_pla=tops:women:tank%2fcami%2fshell&cm_ite=flounce_tbd_ruffled_knit_halter:253413&cm_ven=Linkshare&siteId=J84DHJLQkR4-WJxc3.Rzm5fpzkTpTz3dsQ) or [this](http://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/browse/product.jsp?maxRec=90&pageId=2&productId=300113324&viewAll=&prd=High+Neck+Halter&subCatId=&color=&fromSearch=&inSeam=&posId=7&catId=cat210001&cat=Tops&colorFamily=&maxPg=6&size=) or [this](http://www.rampage.com/Halter_Ruffle_Front_Top/pd/c/16/np/16/p/1234.html) is to have random men I do not know check out my rack. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582/53 "2009-05-29T14:11:54Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > Wait- isnā€™t the whole point of wearing a halter top to have people check out your boobs? Well, at the time, it was a purely functional decision - it was around 85Āŗ F and we were moving heavy boxes, so I was just trying to wear as little clothing as possible, and that was the skimpiest shirt I had. Having been clued in that it made my boobage look awesome, I have subsequently worn it for the purpose of making my boyfriend stare at my chest. šŸ˜ƒ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-woman-always-know-when-she-is-being-checked-out-by-a-man/497582.md?page=2)