An excellent article that everyone, no matter their gender, should read.
"Now, you want to become acquainted with a woman you see in public. The first thing you need to understand is that women are dealing with a set of challenges and concerns that are strange to you, a man. To begin with, we would rather not be killed or otherwise violently assaulted. “But wait! I don’t want that, either!”
Well, no. But do you think about it all the time? Is preventing violent assault or murder part of your daily routine, rather than merely something you do when you venture into war zones? Because, for women, it is."
I have come across as being cold, bitchy, etc. because I have had to learn defensive techniques the hard way, such as making certain that a female friend or family member knows where I'm going if I'm out on a date. Even when I try to explain that these are necessary traits for women in our society, I have been told that I am merely paranoid. It's a learned response, people.
A guy’s guide to approaching strange women without being maced.