I hate that this is even an issue. No matter who you are and what you do you will always come across people who get on your nerves, offend you and generally do things that are less than honourable. I find it an annoyance that my gender is even an issue, especially when I dive. We shouldn`t have to act like "ladies and gentlemen" so much as decent human beings! I work in a male dominated feild and have had my fair share of cracking-onto from very unappreciated sources, and lew comments. I am a female. If a dodgey "old groper" (to use a water metaphor) takes a crack at me that is unwanted when I am out on a boat or in general, I generally give them back a curt, but humorous and polite response that makes them laugh and puts them in their place. That way they get the message I am not interested and to back off in that manner and that way I can get on with getting to know people as people as opposed to `boys` and `girls`. By the same token, I think that most of us living in the western world recognise a persons right to wear what-ever they choose, be it a bikini, knee-high boots or a wetsuit and that it does not mean we are being sexually provocative, it is our right as an individual to wear what we want and to act as we want. Some women and men MAY post explict, provocative, or semi-clad photos because they want sexual or romantic attraction, other may just believe the photo is `pretty` or `artistic`. Different eyes see different things. What maybe acceptable to me, may not be to my grandfather or to someone in a different country. Regardless, each of us should respect the rights and sensibilities of other people. If you send a message to someone and they send you a curt reply, remember you may have accidentally offended them. Say sorry and get over it. If you are a very attractive man or woman who has photos of you in swimwear or revealing clothing you may attract unwanted attention. It is unfortunate, such is life but that is what attraction is all about. Let the person know the attention is unwanted and maybe they will realise they should not be so forward. If they get enough of these replies, they might just back off and change their behaviour. If not, someone who has such photos is replying to them (hence they will keep doing it, like it or not for the rest of us! thus something is keeping people putting such photos up and other people responding to them in such a matter) or they may be rather desperate for a `relationship" in which case feel sorry for them and move on. Don`t let this male/female thing become something that matters enough to change your life for. Deal with it, move on and forget it. I have had a really warm and friendly welcome since joining this site (really recently) have really appreciated it, have not had a single dodgey come-on line and are thankful to all the men and women who said hello when I joined the site. Hope it stays just as friendly. Thanks guys for being so nice.