There are other ways of deflecting male attention. If you’re at a social event alone, instead of signaling ‘I am not a potential mate’, you could signal ‘I am in a monogamous relationship and my boyfriend is higher status than you’. It’s a bit harder, and I’m still working on it, but certainly possible.
Erm, there are obvious ways of doing it. I tend to just drop my boyfriend into conversation as often as it is appropriate, and make sure I mention him in contexts such as “oh he’s really good at such-and-such”.
Okay, that seems obvious now that you’ve mentioned it. I started to try to think of all these abstract things, and I could only think of maybe showing off jewelry that was supposed to imply you’re in a relationship. I was thinking about more subtle things, and I couldn’t really think of anything, so I was wondering if maybe I was just missing something.
So what? Some dating-but-not-married-nor-engaged couples wear such jewellery too. EDIT: and if you forgo the ″is higher-status than you″ part (which for certain values of ″status″ would mean you come off as a gold-digger) you don’t even need it to be very expensive, and even a picture of the two of you kissing as the wallpaper on your mobile phone would suffice. (If they know you know they know you have a boyfriend—even if he’s not higher-status than them—and they hit on you anyway, they lose plausible deniability all the same.) EDIT 2: On reading chaosmosis again, I realize it’s a male and he’s asking about how to find out if a woman has a boyfriend. If so, the answer is ″You ask them.″
There are other ways of deflecting male attention. If you’re at a social event alone, instead of signaling ‘I am not a potential mate’, you could signal ‘I am in a monogamous relationship and my boyfriend is higher status than you’. It’s a bit harder, and I’m still working on it, but certainly possible.
It’s more frustrating for the guys though.
I’m curious what would signal this. If I can’t interpret these kind of signals then I’m in trouble.
Erm, there are obvious ways of doing it. I tend to just drop my boyfriend into conversation as often as it is appropriate, and make sure I mention him in contexts such as “oh he’s really good at such-and-such”.
Okay, that seems obvious now that you’ve mentioned it. I started to try to think of all these abstract things, and I could only think of maybe showing off jewelry that was supposed to imply you’re in a relationship. I was thinking about more subtle things, and I couldn’t really think of anything, so I was wondering if maybe I was just missing something.
A very expensive ring on your left fourth finger/heart-shaped jewel hanging from your necklace/etc.?
boyfriend != husband
So what? Some dating-but-not-married-nor-engaged couples wear such jewellery too. EDIT: and if you forgo the ″is higher-status than you″ part (which for certain values of ″status″ would mean you come off as a gold-digger) you don’t even need it to be very expensive, and even a picture of the two of you kissing as the wallpaper on your mobile phone would suffice. (If they know you know they know you have a boyfriend—even if he’s not higher-status than them—and they hit on you anyway, they lose plausible deniability all the same.) EDIT 2: On reading chaosmosis again, I realize it’s a male and he’s asking about how to find out if a woman has a boyfriend. If so, the answer is ″You ask them.″