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Comment by staticelf | Hacker News Reader

These kind of laws makes approaching people with a sexual interest to perhaps be considered as sexual harassment. That's why I have stopped approaching women, it's not worth the risk. When it's popular to write peoples names publicly on twitter without any evidence for example (metoo), then you know it has gone way to far.

The truth is if people find you attractive, the chance is much lower that they will consider it harassment (even if it may be) and just let it slide. I am sure that these laws will just backfire on the very people it were designed to protect.

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There are certain settings where this is more appropriate: bars, clubs, social events. The streets - less so. No one will sue you if you politely start a conversation with a woman in a bar, that's not what this is about.

I understand that, but what I am saying is that it is what is going to be about as well. Why is it even common to think that is automatically harassment because you are starting a conversation with a woman in a street or grocery store?

Generally, yelling things to women from a few meters is not starting a conversation. I wouldn't say it's automatically harassment to approach women in public areas but you should be very careful about how you are doing that and be ever more polite. Most women want to get from point A to point B and not be picked up.

I didn't say anything about any yelling. I don't know about you, but I don't expect to pick up the women I talk to even if I start the conversation out of a sexual interest.

> These kind of laws makes approaching people with a sexual interest to perhaps be considered as sexual harassment. That's why I have stopped approaching women, it's not worth the risk.

If you've been approaching complete strangers in the street with sexual interest, there's no "perhaps" about it. That's sexual harassment and always has been.

No it hasn't always been, it is a very, very recent reasoning. Talking to complete strangers is fun and I am always friendly. I don't necessarily do it in the street but it has happened.

Your kind of thinking is dangerous.

Talking to strangers is fine under the right circumstances. (Maybe a bit weird if it's literally in the street, which is what the French law covers.) You're the one who specifically said "approaching people with a sexual interest." That's a far cry from simply "talking."

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