I don't know.It does seem strange. Maybe they don't realy connect the two things.

Good question Hiareth.

I dont mind if people are attracted to me sexually, its flattering

I didnt put my picture up on purpose so that people just get to know me and not judge by my picture, whether good or bad.

I had many people ask me to see a pic of me, even if I have never talked to them before, I just get a message asking. I felt awkward about sending it and didnt and asked them why.

I guess I look at this website as not an online dating website, so maybe that is why some people get upset. Maybe they are here because they dont want or expect to get that by posting a pic. They are here for other reasons.

While dont get me wrong, I think people can get to know someone here and actually like them in that regard. But they probably didnt come here for that reason and just was expressing themselves feeling comfortable that wouldnt happen here.

thanks, I guess I was just wondering, and thanks for your responses :) sometimes we invite attention unknowingly

I understand you completely, hiar. My problem is along the same lines, the first night I was on DS there was a debate about teenagers and very young people, 11 or 12 years old being on here due to sexual predators. The majority of the people were angry the one posting was against these unsupervised children being on here and were potential victims. I for one agree fully with him. Also the next day a female in her 60's answered a pm from a young teenaged girl and was called a pervert. No, I don't see why people put their personal pictures or allow their children on here. You have a very good point.

thanks for your input cherokee...

my pics are here, and I started out with my own picture as an avatar

it's just a word to the wise, and we could set a good example if children and young girls are going to be on here by not presenting ourselves in a attracting way if we cannot deal with the sometime result of being hit on.

First, I seen very, very few "sexy" pictures of anyone here used as their avatars. Do you mean that just because someone is attractive they should wear a hood? It's a bit like saying that if a woman is goodlooking and doesn't wear a veil in public she should expect to be hit on or groped by every male in reaching distance. Being good looking doesn't mean you don't have the right to expect respect from other people.

no, thats not what I am saying :) Like I said, my pictures are on here,

what I am saying is we take a risk of attracting attention we don't want when we do that

I've seen some, am not a prude or a burka pusher...what I am saying is just to be careful :)

Aside for once putting up a picture of Marylin Monro, I usually use pictures of cats for that very reason. I can't understand why people use there own picture as an avatar. It is way to unsafe on the internet to show what you look like. I only have one picture of me with a group of friends on here, and it was taken ages ago.

I hope I am saying this how I mean it

If you are attractive, please be aware that when you post your picture you may recieve unwanted attention, some people were complaining about that kind of attention, so I was on solution mode, that's all

I misunderstood, sorry Hi. Yes, there is a posibility of that happening. I don't know if it's more a problem here of in "real" life, being a male and not attractive. It is something to think about, though. I do admit, i the first few days I was here and didn't know how to find friends or where to turn, I looked through the members list of avatars and said to myselfthat looks like someone I might like to know, then went and checked the profile to see if we had antyhing in common. Sadly shallow, but sadly human, I suppose. :(

ok, now you are blaming the victim. why not ask why it is that thses folks who are so attracted to a person posting their picture dont have enough common decency and sense to not hit on folks who are at a sepression forum? if this was say a dating site, i could see your point, but it is not. it is a depression forum. i think your point is that folks are "asking for it" when they post their real pictures. do you also belive that if a women dresses nicely and is well proportioned that she is "asking for it" when a man attacks her sexually? i mean why would she dress like that if she was not out to "get some"? well some folks post their real pics becuase they feel it is freeing to be themselves on the board. they are looking for a "safe place" amd foolishly thought that this place would be that location.

no not at all. this is a depression site, not a dating site. why not get on the folks who have that confused in their heads instead of the peeps who are just out to get advide, give advice and use the site as it should be used?

ohhhhhhhhh now I'm worried!!!! it's my mum on my avatar honest!!!! I'm proud to be me, I don't care who knows me. All perverts welcome, I have a big club with nasty rusty spikes!!! If I offend anyone with my wrinkly old body and lopsided face, tuff!!! LOL. It's who I am, I have nothing to hide.