We need to go way further back in this conversation, and address the "innocent compliment". Obviously I'm not going to say that men aren't allowed to give women compliments, but we have to move away from the random-compliment-in-the-street.

We have to move away from the idea that women need this from men and that men are somehow gracing us with their approval.

Guys, if you see a woman on the street and you don't know her. ask yourself why it's so important that you tell her what you think of her appearance. Ask yourself whether or not she'd even like to hear that feedback because the truth is, we don't NEED it. We are perfectly able to go about our day without knowing that we appeal to some dude we don't know.