The whole "they should take it as a compliment" thing is definitely not a gender thing, not these days anyway. I actually had to have words with a trainee staff member recently (which is unusual, I have a very laid back management style hactually
) for basically constantly perving at a young male customer's legs when he comes in in football shorts. Making loud comments and what can only be described as "purring" at the poor lad. He was laughing and smiling but to me, he also looked seriously uncomfortable... He's just a kid really, 19 I think, and he was getting obviously increasingly embarrassed.
Theres nothing wrong with flirting but people need to get much, much better at reading body language and stop when someone is clearly not happy about it.