In the age of the “Me Too” movement, many men with honorable intentions are reticent to approach women.
There was a recent incident about a Starbucks barista’s secret note to a female patron, indicating that they would intervene if the patron thought a male customer should not speak to her.
Last year, Texas resident Brandy Selim Roberson posted on Facebook the story of her 18-year-old daughter being given a cup of coffee by a Starbucks employee with an offer to “intervene” if she thought the male customer who spoke to her was a threat.
The employee’s note on the cup read: “Are you okay? Do you want us to intervene? If you do, take the lid off the cup.”
Roberson praised the barista, posting on Facebook: “My 18-year-old daughter was at Starbucks, alone, the other night. A man came up to her and started talking to her. A barista handed her an extra hot chocolate someone forgot to pick up.”
Robertson added: “How grateful I am for people who look out for other people! Side note: She felt safe and did not remove the lid, but let them know. She said the whole team was watching over her the rest of the time she was there. Thank you to Starbucks for having a great team.”
Roberson claimed “The man was very loud and animated … [my daughter] looked up and just saw a row of baristas staring at her — ready to step in. This reaffirms my faith in humanity. Maybe just seeing this story, others … if given the opportunity to say something or turn away, they would say something.”
The story and photo of the cup went viral in 2022 and have gone viral again following being reposted by Call to Activism on X.
This incident follows a similar 2021 viral story of a Florida bartender handing two women a note disguised as a receipt, who were approached by a male customer.
The note read: “If this guy is bothering you, put your ponytail on your other shoulder, and I will have him removed. He’s giving me the creeps.”
Many have commented on the viral posts. One wrote: “As a father of a daughter, I’m glad people are still looking out.”
Another wrote: “In today’s society more people should be proactive like this. You just never know what a situation really is. Kudos to the alert Starbuck’s staff. Never be silent and always ask.”
Though most praise staff for showing concern to female patrons, some worry that innocent men offering friendly conversation could easily find themselves having to explain themselves to officers.
Singer Phil Labonte wrote: “And some people wonder why so many young men have never approached a woman.”
The New York Post reported a September study published in DatePsychology noted that “ nearly half of young men under 25 had never approached a woman in person, with most citing fear of rejection and fear of social consequences.
One X user wrote: “Can’t approach women in coffee shop (creepy). Can’t approach women at work (unprofessional). Can’t approach women at the gym (distracting, creepy). Can’t approach women at church (no singles). Can’t approach women in public (with friends). What are men supposed to do?”
Rachel Wilson, a culture writer noted: “Feminism has created mass hysteria that men are nothing but violent assault machines and that the only thing stopping them from enslaving the entire female sex is feminist activism and laws. It’s insanity and it must stop. Women’s studies departments should be shut down.”
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