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The original was posted on /r/twoxchromosomes by /u/Forever_Pancakes on 2023-09-03 15:52:31.
I got recommended by my therapist to get a dog for my anxiety and depression. So far it’s been great. A month ago I got a 1 year old large 70lbs Golden Retriever(Newton💙) and he has helped tremendously with my depression, anxiety and agoraphobia.
Now a few evenings ago I was walking him, I usually do this alone as my partner starts getting our kids ready for bed. Its already starting to get dark here. A man approaches me and starts talking about how cute my dog is, this isn’t unusual, he’s adorable af, everyone approaches him, which again, helps with my social anxiety.
The conversation goes well until the man decides to end it by looking at me up and down and saying with a grin “Your quite small, so he will protect you when you’re walking alone”. Of course this immediately put me on high alert, why would you say that, as a man, to a petite woman walking alone at night? I live in a very safe area, but still… why would you draw attention to the fact that I couldn’t defend myself against someone like you if it wasn’t for my dog?
Maybe he didn’t mean it that way, maybe my anxiety and phobia is making me take it the wrong way, but even my boyfriend thought it was an odd and innapropriate comment to make. If he didn’t mean it that way, why doesn’t he realize how it comes across? I’m 5’2", 107lbs, I dress in the kids section half the time, how on earth am I supposed to take that comment as anything less than a reminder to watch my back if im out alone? And from a man who is much taller and stronger than me, it just makes you come off as more of a threat than you already are. Like, I already know I could get submitted by even a strong 7th grader, how does reminding me of that fact, WHILE I am in a vulnerable position, make me feel any safer?
My dog helps with my anxiety but this man certainly did not.