# So what \*is\* this power women have over (heterosexual) men? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 12, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045 "2005-04-12T23:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/1 "2005-04-12T23:57:21Z")
I had a crappy day. Overslept. Didn’t get enough accomplished at work. Felt fat and balding (which is exactly what I am.) Just getting over being sick, but still feeling icky. Bleh. I pull up to a stop light after work, and sitting next to me are two youngish women in a Saturn. They’re probably 18-20, perky, very cute. As I glance over, the driver looks at me, smiles brightly, and says, “Hey there! How are you?” Flirtatious little minx! 🙂 I smile and respond, “Oh, I’m fine. You?” “Great! I love your car!” “Thanks!” Blah blah blah. Light changes, they both give me a sunny little wave, and off they go. Now I’m 33. Overweight. Balding. Thoroughly attached. I’m getting married in October. I wasn’t going to make any advances toward either of them. It was an incident that was basically going nowhere. But afterwards, I couldn’t stop smiling. I was 15 feet tall. Men are so damn silly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/2 "2005-04-13T00:05:31Z")
Testosterone poisoning. Advanced case. Exacerbated by social engineering. Poor boy. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/3 "2005-04-13T00:07:09Z")
I know how you feel. I’m fat too. And showing the early signs of baldness, but on the rare occasions when a pretty young female human is nice to me I’m on top of the world. I guess the power they have is primeval. They are utterly clueless to the effect their gender, shape, and physical viscinity inflicts on the male brain. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/4 "2005-04-13T00:10:27Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > They are utterly clueless to the effect their gender, shape, and physical viscinity inflicts on the male brain. _snort_ No, we’re not. Every creepy jerk who hits on us makes sure we know that. But sometimes we just like playing with you. It’s so _easy_ to manipulate the male brain, and so much fun! ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/5 "2005-04-13T00:16:58Z")
> [@The Weird One](#): > > _snort_ No, we’re not. Oh my dear… I’m sure you can see the outward signs but… > [@](#): > > Every creepy jerk who hits on us makes sure we know that. …It’s impossible to put the effect into words… so those creepy jerks are not making sure you know anything close to ‘that’. > [@](#): > > But sometimes we just like playing with you. It’s so _easy_ to manipulate the male brain, and so much fun! Your power is knowing you _create_ the effect I speak of. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/6 "2005-04-13T00:22:09Z")
The “power” flows both ways. I’m a married woman in my fifties, and I get a bit weak in the knees and damp in the pantaloons when cute college guys flirt with me (which still happens occasionally). I love my husband, but there is something indescribably delicious about being found interesting or desirable by a young hottie. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/7 "2005-04-13T00:23:13Z")
By the way I don’t mean to be chauvinistic (which I probably was. I can’t tell when I’m drunk) Someone like me who never understood how other males could be within meters of females of the same species while maintaining control of their legs and brain is inexperienced in the art of saying the right, or even acceptable thing or things. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/8 "2005-04-13T00:31:24Z")
Well, I don’t know, but cute guys have it over gay men too. I’ve had more or less the same scenario (well, without the car) as the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/9 "2005-04-13T00:35:04Z")
By the way I don’t mean to be chauvinistic (which I probably was. I can’t tell when I’m drunk) Someone like me who never understood how other males could be within meters of females of the same species while maintaining control of their legs and brain is inexperienced in the art of saying the right, or even acceptable thing or things. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/10 "2005-04-13T00:47:55Z")
I feel the same way when a certain kind of blue- or green-eyed guy looks at me. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/11 "2005-04-13T01:13:56Z")
Yeah, my ego swells too. Just last weekend I had a 23yo little cutie grab me by the are and asked me to come sit with her and her friends. (I was at a bar/ I’m 34) Made my night. On the other end of that: I’ve always noticed that when I’m at work or out at a bar; womens eyes usually light up like christmas trees when you say to them “Hello ladies.” or “How y’all ladies doing tonight?” as opposed to “Hows y’all doing?” or “Hows it going” (Or some other variant. And women say one liners never work. HA! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/12 "2005-04-13T01:19:17Z")
Women respond to this too in my experience. At least a good deal of them do. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/13 "2005-04-13T01:29:39Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > … > > I guess the power they have is primeval. They are utterly clueless to the effect their gender, shape, and physical viscinity inflicts on the male brain. That’s not their brain. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/14 "2005-04-13T01:58:31Z")
Sure it is. It’s just that little part with a direct line to the penis. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/15 "2005-04-13T02:08:29Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Your power is knowing you _create_ the effect I speak of. What if you genuinely DON’T create that effect? I don’t think women _in general_ have the effect on men you’re speaking of. Only the pretty young things. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/16 "2005-04-13T03:03:19Z")
\<_snif_\> \<_snif_\> Thag smell woman! Aaaaaaooooooooooh! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/17 "2005-04-13T06:33:51Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Well, I don’t know, but cute guys have it over gay men too. I’ve had more or less the same scenario (well, without the car) as the OP. Actually, I’ve found myself inordinately flattered and not unlike the OP (albeit muted) when chatted up by an extremely attractive woman (which has, regrettably, happened much more often than being chatted up by cute gay guys). Must be a genetic lizard-brain thing. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/18 "2005-04-13T06:34:59Z")
“I’m so easily led, when the little head does the thinkin’.” --John Hiatt ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/19 "2005-04-13T07:04:12Z")
Don’t get me wrong – on the few occasions when an attractive young woman has taken an interest in me (this rarely happens, as they rarely have any notions about their chances that they have to be disabused of) I’ve felt quite deliciously flattered, but never the “gahbibble!” effect of being noticed by some gorgeous twink. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045/20 "2005-04-13T07:09:51Z")
My husband is 45 years old, in pretty good shape and a truck driver. When he gets tits flashed at him from ladies in cars, he’s the happiest guy in the world. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-this-power-women-have-over-heterosexual-men/299045.md?page=2)