Me Maybe once in the morning when I’m getting dressed for the day. And if I’m thinking “do I want the t-shirt with the map of the island, which is cool, or the older one that has a reproduction of a painting of north point?” I’m really not thinking about sex. Yes, I care how people react to the shirt, but I don’t expect anyone to find either of those baggy t-shirts sexy. In fact, I expect both to make people think about the island and not about me.
I get the sense that you think women are constantly thinking about attracting men sexually. There are a lot of women out there. Perhaps some are. But I, personally, find this notion offensive. When I think of sex in random social situations, I am thinking “he’s hot”, not “does he think I am hot?” I am an actor in my interior monologue, not decoration for others.
It can be. Sometimes it’s best to just observe that people are offended by something and change your language to avoid that. I say this from first-hand experience.
This was my impression, too, which is why I’m delighted that Nate returned. Nate, because it’s a long thread, I’m going to repeat my point:
When you say things that might be offensive (and you guessed this, since you started with an apology) it’s helpful to think about how others might react to the words you choose. Especially how “others” might react. Here, I think you only thought about how men might react to your thoughts, and you would have gotten a warmer reception if you had also thought about how women might read your thoughts.
For instance, doing another level of processing and talking about your reaction, not just describing it, would make it less offensive. Instead of “All I can think of is I want to fuck that”, perhaps, “I am so distracted by my own sexual reaction that it interferes with talking to my wife and driving”. They both say pretty much the same thing, but the second is more self-aware, and less crude.