Since the beginning of time, women have rejected men who they have not been interested in. In modern times this rejection has caused too many women to endure physical and mental abuse from men who do not take rejection well.
On January 18, a 31-year old woman was attacked and robbed by three young men because she declined one of the young men’s offer to buy her drink at the local liquor store.
Stories like this have become common in today’s era because some men do not know how to handle rejection from women. Many women have to deal with catcalling while they are at the gas station, grocery store, or around FAMU’s campus.
When they decline advances the male will grow angry and spew profanities at the woman because she is not interested.
“I feel so disrespected when someone calls me anything other than my name,” cardiopulmonary science major LaZaria Hodge said.
After being told no some men tend to further pursue women. “I feel harassed to the point that if I reject a guy he will continue to pressure me to say yes,” Hodge said.
Eighty percent of women have said they have experienced some form of street harassment, according to The Washington Post.
Men become aggressive with women when they do not get their way, which may put a fear in women that may cause them to become afraid of men in general.
“It makes me feel like I might have to defend myself. It’s really an invasion of my personal space. I never know what they are gonna do next,” nursing student Daphne Leys said.
Entitlement is one of the reasons why men do not handle rejection well. “A Lot of guys feel like they fit a girl’s qualifications and that a girl should automatically say yes,” engineering student Steve Washington II said.
The anger that the male has may hurt his masculinity, which could cause him to act out toward the woman who has rejected him.
“Men become hurt because they were so confident and did not foresee rejection. When they get rejected the hurt shows, they start calling women ugly or gold diggers,” Washington said.
Harassment and crimes by rejected men happen way too often. How can this narrative not become so normal?
According to British GQ the best ways for men to get over rejection are accepting that everyone doesn’t have to go out with you, so get rejected with dignity, do not act on emotions or get bitter. Use rejection as a sign to change.