30m here. I was recently in a behavior health hospital doing an assessment, and while I was in the safe waiting room (no phones, bags, personal belongings, can't leave, etc.) there was this woman there who was clearly very uncomfortable.

then when the techs came to take her back, she was like, "FINALLY, I don't have to be stuck in this ROOM full of fucking MEN anymore!"

and it was affirming in the sense that yeah, it was me and a bunch of other dudes in there with her. and I had already spoken a few times and everything, so it wasn't like she couldn't have clocked me (I'm pre-hrt and have a medium-high voice).

but it was also wild to know that I was actively being perceived as a threat? or at the very least, was part of making someone feel so uncomfortable by just existing as a dude.

obviously, I don't feel any kind of negative or ill will towards this woman; I know what it's like to find strange men scary, especially in an already unsteady situation like a hospital. but damn. it does make me feel weird to make other people feel this way.

what experiences do y'all have with this sort of thing? also, what kind of things can I do to potentially mitigate this in the future?