Today, I man-spread on the train.

[Trainarmrestfairy]

When a man sat next to me on the train and tried to manoeuvre my arm out the way, off the middle arm rest, so he could rest his there, I pushed back.

I’ve never ever put my arm on the middle arm rest between seats on a train before - I just take the one on the edge (either by the aisle or window).

But, today I fought back. Today I won. Ten years (excluding Covid) of men shoving their arm into my body and their legs onto my floor space, and today I fought back.

Incredibly petty, I know. But God it felt good. Not sure if that’s because of the surprised gasp the man gave or because of the power. Who knows? A victory to all women who have ever been squashed against the window of a train because a man felt it necessary to take up 1.5 seats!

Oh come on! This is your contribution to women fighting back just a little bit? On Mumsnet? Really?

Oh, Michael - er, I mean, Michelle12A ...

Had a very surprised bloke finding himself leaping out of my way onto the wet grass earlier 😁 I don't know why as there was plenty of room next to me on the pavement, presumably he was so shocked that I didn't move over that he got confused!

Also had great pleasure getting some horrid man evicted from the neighbouring seat on a plane last year, a bulkhead aisle seat where the occupant hadn't turned up. His actual seat was in the middle of a four so he decided he preferred to move next to me - where he took up the entire armrest and kept letting his knee sprawl into my space. I get shoving him over, then told him to stop it - and when he totally ignored me I took enormous pleasure informing the stewardess that he was in the wrong seat and she moved him back. For the remainder of the ten hour flight. I am still enormously enjoying the memory, the lady behind me even told me well done and I do feel rather proud of myself!

I don't think that anyone is saying that.

the trouble with protecting your space like this (especially against intruding legs) is that you have to use your own body! and touch the intruder! urgh
what I want are trousers with spikes I can activate by thought power

Well done, OP! I’ve been known to rest part of my (very large and heavy) handbag on men’s knees before — entirely accidentally, of course — when they sit next to me, legs splayed wide…

The pinnacle? No. Foothills, yes.

A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step, and I for one shan't be using it to step out of the way of a man.

Am Ithe only woman who has never ever got out of the way for someone just because they are male?

My 3 year old son tried to get a man to move back over to the side he was originally walking on until he saw us approaching. My son was saying to me "can't stay away from the road mummy"! I said loudly "unfortunately that old man thinks his life is more valuable than yours sweetheart".

I don't understand it, why men suddenly see a woman and make sure to try and barge into us or stop if we refuse to move.

I attempt to move for male, female, young, old anyone, it’s just polite. I certainly wouldn’t block a pavement just because a male is heading my way

DDog and I were walking single file along the edge of a pavement so DDog could enjoy sniffing at the grass verge.

Yep running man swore at us for not both moving out his way and shock horror he had to run around us.

Perhaps he'd rather trip over her lead...

While I am working on the age old problem of stopping men sexually assaulting women I think I still have some time for this too

Who said it is the pinnacle? But it is all part of men imposing on women - and probably more frequent than rape and murder. So good for the women who wont play along with it.

On the pavement yesterday, there was a man and his three large dogs (which took up full width of pavement) advancing towards me.

I continue walking, he walks into the road saying 'you're welcome!' at me.

I am still bemused as to why I should thank someone for allowing me to walk in a straight line on the pavement.

Perhaps I should also thank him for allowing me to breathe?

On patriarchy chicken it is good to just stop if it's obvious he isn't going to make any effort to avoid you .

So stop and look at your phone or in your bag. Walking straight into a stopped person with enough time to move can't be explained away.

I'm a daily commuter. Well done
OP

If there is a reason to move then I will. I certainly won't take up more of the pavement than I need.

Next time you are out in a high street and there's an oncoming man, see which one of you decides it is polite to step out of the other's way.

Love this 🙌🏼

I am totally on board with those who do not move for men just "because". Training my girls to be less moveable is more difficult! "It's easier to move, mum". Well, yep, probably is. But there's plenty of pavement to share if we want to 🤔

Stopping dead is fun too - you can see me coming, why expect that little old me will shift? What's up with you moving over on the pavement we're sharing?

They always move for my (muzzled) German Shepherd. Never for me alone. I wonder why...

@JazzyJelly ha, they should know better than to trust a terrier tbh 🤣 she's a bit of a trip hazard.

I always call her and hold when there are cyclists not because she would chase or nip or even bark just get in their way!

This is a surreptitious photo taken of my legs (left, facing straight onto the seat in front of me) and the man manspreading next to me when I was at the theatre last month in Liverpool.

To be fair to him, he was v tall and struggled to fit his knees behind the seat, and he DID move, but not before I'd sat down and waited a couple of mins to see what he'd do!

I have actually shoulder barged when I refuse to move and so do they. A collision is almost inevitable with most men

@DrMadelineMaxwell
That's a bit cosy for a complete stranger at a theatre. I wouldn't be comfortable with that, even dh doesn't sit that close up to me mainly because dcat won't allow him! 😀