From the Mailbag
I have received over 150 messages over the past 4 years on the tenor of:Dear Julia,
I read your rant and I just wanted to let you know that not all men are evil, and there are good men on the internet, ones who don't want to hit on you.
Approximately fifty percent of all messages continue with something like this:
A little about me. My name is [X], and I [do Y, am a student at Z, or work at W]. I'm interested in [V]. I'd like to get to know you better, perhaps meet sometime. Please write back. Please send a picture.
-- assorted males of the 'net.
Julia Responds...If you read the rant, you'll note that nowhere do I say that all men are evil, or examples of these lascivious doofuses. Yet, dozens and dozens of people seem to feel the need to enlighten me that not all men on-line are going to hit on me. Well, duh.
I'm particularly amused by the ones that go on to basically hit on me in the same message. Like I don't notice their overt come-ons. Asking for a picture of me? Chances are they aren't nominating me for beatification.
I have many male net.acquaintences who have somehow managed to refrain from virtually slobbering all over me. That's not unusual for someone who has been on the 'net since 1987. It's not that difficult a thing, really.