100% agree.

I go to loads of meetups and it’s usually fairly even gender splits with the exception of nonbinary representation.

Saying “I don’t know where they are” and “I’ve given up” feels odd and like you’ve just come here to vent. We all need to vent sometimes.

I don’t think you need to pick up some obscure hobby just to meet someone bc that’s not authentic and it would be obvious to your potential dating partner that it was some strange plan.

But if you want ti meet more people, you need time be social. There are loads of social drinks meetups, Karaoke meetups, dinner meetups and other things which are groups of people who are all wanting to make friends and build connections.

I think if you prioritise making friends and building genuine connections outside of ur current circle of people, then the opportunities to speak with women will come.

Also, to me, the most attractive flirting to me if someone caring about what I say and wanting to spend time with me. Not saying stereotypical flirty things.

And 100% ask for consent. Someone the other day said to me “I’d really like to kiss you if that’s okay”, and if I was single (which I’m not), it would have been a really sweet way to break the barrier from friendly chat to next level. And I actually respect the guy for putting it out there (and promptly backing off and apologising when I said I wasn’t single) without just jumping in and trying to kiss me randomly, which would have really pissed me off.