Any Hesitance to Approach (that Isn't Strategic) Is Approach Anxiety

If you pause to approach from fear of what people may think (“She’s too young for him!” “They’re different races!” “He’s too short!”) it’s approach anxiety.

On my article about what to do when girls you approach say you’re too old, TheDude comments:

Hi Chase, your blog will never cease to amaze me. Just when I think I can't learn anything new, I visit the blog and read an article that teaches me something new.

I have a question - how to handle age gap social lashback? My problem is following. I'm in my 30s, smooth with women, phisically attractive, tight fundamentals. I live in a city where I'm quite known (not rock-star famous, but people know me). Most of women in my city are young (19-22). When I see good looking chick across the street, I hesitate to approach.

Why? Because I can't assess her age and I'm afraid she's too young. To assess her age, I need to either scan her before approaching (which is impossible is she's going the other way across the street) or take a risk and open her.

How should I act if after opening I find out she's very young? I don't want labeled as a guy who "harrasses young girls" because of this social lashback.

Age is a common reason men will hesitate to approach.

A girl might be too young for them, they think. Or a woman might be too old for them. People would judge them for it.

There are other reasons a guy might hesitate: a woman might have a boyfriend. She might be busy right now and not want to talk to someone. She might be in a bad mood. She might be an angry feminist who hates men! She might be listening to a song or a podcast she’s really into on her headphones and not want to be disturbed.

She might, she might, she might.

Nevertheless, for all these reasons, no matter how real the trepidation might feel, no matter how seemingly valid the reason to not approach, unless it is a strategic choice, it is still just approach anxiety.