I work in a primarily female industry. Also, the job is, by nature, secluding; you don't meet many people outside of it. Therefor, as one of the few men most of these women ever encounter, I'm the target of many romantic advances within my workplace. Advances which I'm not interested in; I'd rather play video games and watch anime than be shackled to a "girlfriend". Also let me state that I'm by no means a physically attractive person, nor am I particularly granted a nice personality.

I've so far had to deny three offers to go out (romantic dating). I do nothing (that I know of) to encourage these offers. I feel like I'm simply the only male target in a very small pool of options.

Because of my repeated denial of dating, I've been branded a jerk and and worse. The female workers all talk together, leaving me out, and have quickly formed unfavorable opinions of me - "He won't go out with me, so I bet he'll sleep with anything on two legs". Word going around the office is that I "play with people's feelings" and "lead people on" and worse, "would lie to get whatever I want". All I ever did was say "No thank you" to requests to date.

If I asked a girl out and she said no and I spread the rumor that she was a whore who only cared about looks, I'd be a pig.

So how do I reverse this? I'm not going to give in and date anyone at work, but not accepting one of their advances makes me a jerk (and management WILL hear about "what an asshole I am")

Thoughts?