Same. I’ve given men and women compliments and have gotten random compliments from both. Usually tshirts or hair styles or tattoos that run close to what I like. I think it’s more about how it’s said. Informal compliments are best as it doesn’t put assumptions on the other side. “That’s a cool hair ribbon” is different than “I love when you wear your hair ribbons”. The assumption of feelings isn’t in the first one. More compliments should be given out freely if you genuinely feel a certain way. Just don’t go full lovestruck on the ice breaker.
There’s a saying that kinda caught on. If people want to listen to what you have to say they will stop. A lot of my experiences at least have to do with everyone else is so much faster with what they want to say and the thing I had in mind is from 1 idea ago and no longer relevant. If I had just talked when everyone else was talking it might have gotten though. It feels weird as hell to interrupt people but the ones who talk a lot never feel upset you butted in and the ones who care would wait for your input anyways.