If you have ever been told to smile, you probably already know how annoying it can be. Sometimes, it is just an innocent request.
A friend can simply look at you and tell you to smile. You may be in deep thought and you have no idea how distorted your face looks at the moment so your friend shows up to tell you to smile. It is still quite annoying.
Sometimes, it’s sexist. Some people believe girls should always look pretty. Those are the words of a core feminist so if you think there’s nothing wrong with this, go and argue with them.
If you are a girl who hates it when guys tell you to smile, this article has compiled a list of responses you can make use of. Friendly responses are also contained, in case you will be taking some time to think like a normal human.
19 Great Responses When Someone Tells You To Smile
- How are you affected?
- I’m smiling.
- Let me be.
- You’re not helping
- Make me.
- If I don’t?
- Thanks, but no thanks.
- You’ll hate my smile.
- Why?
- Maybe you’re not amusing enough.
- How is my face your business?
- What will that bring you?
- Give me a reason.
- For whose sake?
- If you want a smile, do it yourself.
- I will when you leave.
- I’m not the only one frowning.
- If you can make others smile, I will.
- How does that help you?
How are you affected?
This is not entirely unfriendly. It does not have to be used by a girl against a guy but you can say this as a girl too.
If a male stranger walks up to you and tells you to smile, you can ask how he is affected by your smile while keeping a frown on your face.
He won’t be expecting the reaction so this may sound shocking to him. Sometimes, this may just be a way to flirt or start a flirty chat with you. Your frown and your rhetorical question will show that you are not interested.
However, a hardcore flirt will find a clever response to this question. If you are desperately against flirting with him, you can ignore him totally and walk away.
If your friend tells you to smile, you may want to use a friendlier response but this is not too bad. It shouldn’t be enough to cause a fight.
I’m smiling
This is quite sarcastic. It can be quite funny too. A feminist may not like this one but it may not be the worst on the list. When you say you are smiling, it is important to keep a frown on your face.
If your face shapes into a smile, you have satisfied the strange man’s desire and he would probably keep flirting with you if he gets the chance. This shouldn’t be a worry though.
If you truly were against the idea of being forced to smile, none of the man’s words would make you smile and none of the gimmicks employed would make you flirt with him.
When you wear your frown, you are showing that you are not interested but you are still engaging him. If you want to push him away, this is not your option.
If it is a friend, this response would be amusing since you are still frowning. It would be seen as a joke.
Let me be
This pushes the person away but feminists may not like this either. If you are a feminist, you probably understand why already.
When you say [Let me be], it will probably make you sound weak. You may sound like you are begging the person to stop disturbing you. Feminists do not beg. They are strong and they don’t like the idea.
This response is not as good as ignoring. In fact, if you say this when a guy is flirting with you, he may continue unless you are screaming like a scared brat.
You can avoid this option but it is okay to say this if it’s from your friend.
By saying this to your friend, you are passing the idea that you are worried about something and you can’t be wearing a fake smile or talking about unimportant things.
You’re not helping
You can simply state blankly into the face of this strange guy and say he is not helping. Take your eyes off him and ignore whatever he says or does next. Feminists will like this one. You probably like the thought of it too.
When you do this, the guy will definitely give up trying to get your attention. Flirting cannot work when you are actively ignoring him.
If you find it hard to ignore him effectively, you may not be feminist enough. The feminists I know are strong and stubborn.
You can also say this to your friend. He or she may see this as a request for a joke. The stranger may also think the same and that is why you have to ignore as much as you can.
He will be hurt because you are not showing any reaction. Feminists like to see those guys hurt.
Make me
This can be a way to escape a boring moment. If your friend tells you to smile, you can tell him/her to make you smile. He or she may tell a joke or make silly faces to amuse you and the gestures may work.
The strange guy may do the same too. Feminists will be disappointed in you if you apply this response while a strange guy is obviously trying to flirt with you.
However, if you happen to like him back and want to enjoy the moment, this is a way to indulge him. He will tell jokes and you may just fall in love. To hell with the feminists. One woman down!
If I don’t?
This sounds like a challenge but it would be a huge mistake if you make it a challenge. That is for feminists though. If you are looking for true fun, you can keep this response in mind.
The funny part is a hardcore feminist may try to challenge him thinking it would work.
When a hardcore feminist challenges a hardcore flirt, the attention she gives will only give the flirt more satisfaction.
It would be better to ignore him totally but you shouldn’t tell that to a feminist. She’s strong and she can handle herself.
If you say this to a flirt, you are telling him to continue flirting with you. You are giving him more opportunities to develop funny pick-up lines and you might just fall in love with him.
Thanks but no thanks
If you want to respond like a true feminist, this may be the best option on the list for you. When you say this, you should look away and keep your expression on.
You have to keep your head straight and your frown must stay intact like you are getting paid for it. Feminists will love this idea.
The guy will be hurt since you are intentionally ignoring him. All of his gimmicks will be wasted while you are not even looking or listening.
If you smile by mistake, you may just be a disappointment to the feminists. Get a skirt or, better still, join the guys.
You’ll hate my smile
You can say this to a strange guy. It is indulgent so if you are trying to play strong and unshakeable, you may not want to say this.
True feminists do not leave chances to get swayed off their feet so they glue their feet to the ground. Saying this will make the guy keep talking. He will probably ask to see your scary or ugly smile.
If you are not interested in him, you should shut up rather than say this.
Why?
Let us give the feminists an idea. You can ask why. If it is your friend asking you to smile, you can ask why.
If it is a strange guy asking you to smile, you can ask why and walk away without listening or looking. If you wait to hear him out, you have disappointed the entire association of feminists.
By asking why, you get him to start saying things that are meant to impress you. Walking away would waste his efforts and break his heart.
Maybe you’re not amusing enough.
A strange guy is probably making eyes at you. The laws feminism mandate you to look away immediately. If he walks up to you and asks you to smile, you can tell him he is not amusing enough. Don’t get excited yet.
It cannot break his heart since he hasn’t even tried to make you laugh. However, this would sound like an invitation for him to tell you jokes and flirt with you.
If you say this to the strange guy and listen to him, you can also try to not laugh. However, you would still be paying attention and he would be having fun.
How is my face your business?
This rhetorical question can lead to more flirty statements. Equally, saying this to a friend can make him or her say funny things about how your face is his or her business.
As a feminist, you should know it is a bad idea to indulge the flirt but you can do so and ignore. That hurts more than ignoring entirely.
The response can give the idea that the chat would be interesting for him. When you suddenly stop responding or paying attention, he’ll slowly return to his senses.
What will that bring you?
You are simply asking how the person will benefit from your smile. This is another response that indulges the person to keep talking.
If you are looking to have fun, this is a good idea. If you want to push away a flirt, this question is a bad idea unless you choose to ignore it immediately after.
Give me a reason
This also indulges the flirt. You can say this to a friend. You can also say this to a strange guy if you like him or if you don’t care about him flirting with you.
If you don’t want him flirting with you, consider a different response.
For whose sake?
This is another feminist response if that is what you want. You can say this to a friend too but it may sound quite unfriendly. Feminists don’t mind anyway. There is no chance to make friends with unrepentant flirts.
Immediately after you ask this rhetorical question, you should look away and ignore him completely while wearing your frown. If you give him your attention, he will find a response to your supposedly rhetorical question.
If you want a smile, do it yourself.
This is dismissive and you may just get a round of applause from your fellow feminists. Saying this to a friend is not polite. If you’re not happy, it is better to say why instead of reacting wrongly.
However, if you are trying to push someone away like a strange guy who is flirting with you, this is the response you should give.
I will when you leave
This may be the best feminist response so far. However, it may be seen as a joke. It is better to ignore the guy till he leaves you alone. If you don’t ignore him, he will laugh at your joke and keep flirting with you.
You can say this to a friend and it won’t be taken seriously unless you ignore him or her. That would be wrong and unfriendly.
I’m not the only one frowning
This is a nice feminist response but a chronic flirt will still have a response. If you can ignore him completely after saying this, this may be the best option.
You can say this and point to other people who are frowning. Tell him to deal with them. Then ignore him.
If you can make others smile, I will
This is a challenge that will most likely not be taken. This won’t push a chronic flirt away as long as you are paying attention to him.
However, if you are able to ignore him after saying this, you will win a badge among the feminists.
How does that help you?
This question is useless if you don’t plan to pay attention to him. You can make it rhetorical by asking this question and then ignoring him. It will break his heart because the question sounded like you would pay attention to him.
If you like him, you can ask this question and let him flatter you.