over one third of men would never help a woman struggling with a baby buggy on stairs

[bettyellen]

220. I don't think it's a case of men being over feminized, I think the ones who do get angry

are a bit too invested in the payoff- their own egos, rather than helping the other person. A bit too invested in getting a payoff. If you recognize that a person is doing it for attention and not to actually help you, they are putting you in a manipulative situation- and that can be creepy. Usually these are the ones so wrapped up in themselves they jump in without asking, and are suddenly in your face chatting away as if you owe them that.

It's a totally different thing than the perils of helping a stranger who genuinely needs it. I don't hear a lot of women complaining about the reactions they get. Perhaps because it is not a game we generally play to meet men, so no one questions our motives?

When you are a pretty young thing- these *completely unneeded and often unwelcome* gestures accompanied by the expectation of gratitude are sometimes actually frightening in a stalky way. Demuring politely does not deter them. Shit can get scary. Yet people act like the worlds at your feet for getting unwelcome attention, it's bizarre.