Thanks for the reply.

I'm not going to argue that low self-esteem isn't an issue because it is in parts of my life. Having people give me confused looks or reacting to me in a negative way has taken a toll over the years. I don't have self-esteem issues because of the way I look, though. I have self-esteem problems from what happens because of how I look.

This is way more info than I should put on a public site and didn't really want to share it in my previous reply but it adds a bit more context. I'll probably delete it soon because I don't feel super comfortable with this sitting in my history: I've been threatened with and had physical harm occur from men by the way I look so I'm always on guard. A group of men laughing, on more than one occasion, is the preface to being confronted. I hate to use the word "trigger" but it is.

A group of women laughing at me doesn't present the same physical threat. It still hurts that they see me as a novelty or weirdo but I don't instinctively reach for my pepper spray and prepare to run.

I honestly gave no mind to what grown, adult men thought of me until the violence started years ago. And I honestly didn't think I'd be dealing with it still into my 40s.