On Monday, 21-year-old Latrell Phillips said he was frustrated by tweets "about women giving numbers to guys that they're not interested in," so he shared some unsolicited advice.
Give a fake number. Stop giving people your line if you're not interested in them. Doesn't make sense.
"Give a fake number," he tweeted. "Stop giving people your line if you're not interested in them. Doesn't make sense."
"I always never understand that concept," he told BuzzFeed News. "Because if you truly aren't interested in someone, don't waste your and anyone else's time."
Pretty quickly after his tweet, people — mostly women — responded to Phillips to tell him his logic was flawed. They said it's not so simple.
@TrizzeTrell Ppl will call standing in front of you. I'm not trying to get punched in the face cuz they find out I… https://t.co/iAqEj9XzzJ
Many pointed out that some men will call you on the spot to verify that you've given them the right phone number.
Some dudes would try to call you right on the spot. What am I supposed to do ? 😒 Wingardium Leviosa my way outta he… https://t.co/l93hrTRFR8
Also, they said a fake number, or refusing to give a number, could potentially escalate a situation and become dangerous.
Yall do realize men will call you right then and there and refusing can get you killed. Yall don't get how dangerou… https://t.co/dHJDTGPDCW
RT if you've had a man make you feel unsafe while he checked to make sure the number was real https://t.co/rSXrZOepT5
Some women shared their personal alarming encounters.
@OhMyGodney @byronwi95000008 @kayla_gabrielle @TrizzeTrell Yep. Same. I was visiting Italy and a guy was following… https://t.co/Nubzx5qZl4
A man once blocked my way, called the number to make sure it wasn't fake and banged on the window when it was. Next. https://t.co/cUq1JDMfev
Men also spoke up against it. Phillips said he was aware that there were men who would not accept a fake number, but he added, "Those are desperate men in my eyes."
Ain't it funny how all oppressors kinda sound the same. Tell you how to deal with them oppressing you. https://t.co/TD2foiI4Bs
"Men should accept rejection and move on," Phillips said.
Just occurred to me how insulting this rhetoric is, cause I've had the luxury of not thinking about it before https://t.co/kufoX6gk4I
When asked if he would — IDK — want to advise and tweet at men on this very subject, Phillips responded, "Yes, I would — I learned to be careful with how you say things because it can be perceived the wrong way."
More than once I've had a dude immediately try to call me to prove it's the right number lmfao https://t.co/asWctWKnnm
To men who may meet women who are not interested in them, Phillips advised:
"People have to accept no. And move on. There's billions of people in the world. You should never harass anyone because they don't want you."