Why are you talking to them? Is it to have a pleasant time? I'm going to assume that. This means you both go away feeling slightly positive about your chat.
There's no way of knowing for sure that your question will be one the other party wants to answer so it's always going to be some kind of stab in the dark and you just have to interpret the reply and move the conversation on to other more neutral things (in the UK weather is one) until you find something they like talking about. You encourage them to talk about that a bit and talk a bit yourself.
The main thing is not to persist with a subject that they dismiss - or any subject about yourself too long. Then let other people into the conversation.
If you go into a conversation with someone and you have any prejudicial reaction to their looks or what they say then you'll probably mirror it. If you make yourself internally respect them regardless of what they do or look like (or earn) then it will show in your words. Disrespect will show and screw it all up.
There's no way of knowing for sure that your question will be one the other party wants to answer so it's always going to be some kind of stab in the dark and you just have to interpret the reply and move the conversation on to other more neutral things (in the UK weather is one) until you find something they like talking about. You encourage them to talk about that a bit and talk a bit yourself.
The main thing is not to persist with a subject that they dismiss - or any subject about yourself too long. Then let other people into the conversation.
If you go into a conversation with someone and you have any prejudicial reaction to their looks or what they say then you'll probably mirror it. If you make yourself internally respect them regardless of what they do or look like (or earn) then it will show in your words. Disrespect will show and screw it all up.