Why is manspreading a thing?!?!?

[FrenchFancie]

I’m sat in an airport departure lounge (aka seventh circle of hell) and there’s people everywhere (of course, it’s Easter). A very unscientific survey of the packed seats around me show every man with their legs wide appart, taking up space. All the women are cramped up with legs crossed, trying not to infringe on other’s space.

now I’m willing to admit I’m in a perimenopausal rage over this, but AIBU to be annoyed about this? Why do men need so much space?!? Even the teenage boys are at it!!!

would I be unreasonable to suddenly start taking up more space in retribution?!?

(May not see any replies because : flight to catch!)

Try it! Sitting like that is scientifically proven to reduce cortisol levels and increase self confidence. When you stand, you should stand like Wonder Woman for the same reason.

www.calm.com/blog/power-poses

How on earth would you walk with your legs together?

Oh, I've just figured out what you mean I think.

I don't walk with my legs together, but standing with legs together doesn't cause the same discomfort as sitting does. Nothings getting squashed between them because it's dangling in front rather than between, and there's not the same pressure on the outside of the hips that I feel when sitting with knees touching.

Yet they can drive a car for hours without having to take up both front seats. Stop making excuses for entitlment.

😆 Good question.

@FrenchFancie YANBU. It's utter nonsense that men have to spread their legs as widely as possible (when sitting down) to be comfortable. As a pp said, how the hell do they manage to DRIVE without spreading their legs across to the passenger seat? And how do they WALK without their legs spread widely, if their massive bollocks and HUGE cock, are soooo massive that they can't keep their legs together?! The excuses for manspreading/male entitlement from several posts on here is farcical! 😆

Got my DH and his mate sitting in 2 armchairs right now, and his mate has his legs (together,) and swung to the left facing DH, and DH has his legs crossed. No man sits in his armchair at home with his legs looking like a fucking coathanger! So why do they do it in public, in theatres and cinemas, on public transport etc....?! It's male entitlement, and dominance, and 'look how big my cock and balls are!'

Went to a show last week at a small theatre in the next town, and the seats are quite close together. DH (sat to my left,) managed to keep his legs fairly close together, but the man-spreading cockwomble next to me, had his legs SO far apart, that it's a wonder he didn't fucking split in half.

His manspreading left leg, forced my right leg against my left leg throughout the majority of the 70 minute show, (even though my legs were closed, and WELL across on 'my' side.) He also jabbed me with his elbows at least 10 times during the show, and made sure he let me know the arm of the chair that we 'shared' was HIS.

Manspreading c*nt!

I don't care about it. If they invade my space, which has never happened, I'll deal with it.

I had this recently on a flight
I was in the middle seat and a man sat the aisle seat thought it was his right to spread his legs as far as he could encroaching in my space
a few years ago I would have done nothing and spent the entire flight uncomfortable
i did the same but making sure I was in my seat / leg space so my leg was literally pressed up against his
He glared at me a good few times which I ignored then for rest of flight stayed in his own space
He also tried to interrupt the stewardess as she was serving me drinks as she had the cheek to ask me first
some men are seriously pathetic

I speak from experience there's no need to do this, fella up page saying it hurts his waist area just to sit properly has tight hamstrings or lower back or something, it's not because he's a bloke.

Why though? Just sit down and they move , or if they don’t you sit on their legs. I’ve done it twice this week on the New York subway. Have confidence and reclaim the space.

So I should have got up and sat on their legs? You know, sometimes you just want to get home without an argument.

To some degree they can’t help it because of different pelvis shapes women naturally sit with their legs straight in front but men will naturally tilt their thighs a bit so sit with legs apart. However there is no excuse for needing to spread into another person’s space - they can definitely sit comfortably with legs just a few inches apart!

I have found that if you ever so slightly press back against them, they get uncomfortable and move away quite quickly. Something about having a middle aged woman's leg touching them seems to work as a repellant.

I just see lots of women put their bag and coat etc. everywhere and yes I even seen some women womenspreading

I have experienced manspreading by proxy.
The magnificent male was taking up so much space that his adoring partner’s buttock ended up on my leg! When I said ‘Excuse me?’ she just smiled and ignored me. So my friends and I moved to the row behind and her handbag got its own seat.

You do know men have testicles dont you?

I do this too and I bloody love it. Only wish that I'd had the nerve to do it decades ago.

“I think the teen girl / young woman equivalent is very loud screeching and giggling with mates which they know is attracting attention.”

Oh God, here we go, the ‘women are just as bad’ shit. 🙄 Teen girls and young women don’t routinely ‘screech’ but 99.9% of males manspread.

If 99.9% of men manspread, surely that points to an anatomical reason?

I tend to believe that physical difference explains a certain degree of sitting with legs parted, but egregious manspreading into other people's spaces is selfish.

ive Never had an argument, what is there to argue about? Yes, as you are sitting down it’s their look out if they move their legs or not. I know in an ideal world it wouldn’t be needed .

Agree, and no man ever says anything , they just move. Perhaps the thought of touching a menopausal woman scares them!

We live in different worlds. If I got up and sat on someone's legs on a bus in London, they would have a go at me. I could just quietly sit there and not argue back but I was on my way home having been up since 5am and just wanted a quiet journey.

I'm impressed that you're sitting on people and they're not telling you to fuck off. You must have the magic touch.