The "science" behind manspreading.

[IDontEatFriedTurtle]

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/manspreading-scientific-explanation-revealed-men-behaviour-public-transport-etiquette-a7862771.html

An article from last year. Male scientist mansplains manspreading to the female population and basically "because pelvis" is the answer.

Except, I as a human female find it far more comfortable to manspread too. I don't because it is anti social and because I was taught almost from birth that it wasn't lady like to sit like that and actually inappropriate. Male science man seems unaware totally of the fact that we tell little girls to set with their legs closed.

For me the "lady like" way to cross one's legs is hugely uncomfortable. I didn't do it because my pelvis was arranged that way, I did it because I was told it was the correct way to sit for a girl. Sitting knees together is just as bad.

When I was younger, I assumed that manspreaders sat in that position because they either had testiclular swelling or some sort of skin infection of the scrotum. Because of their embarrassing condition, I always felt a bit sorry for them.

I also find it uncomfortable sitting in the "ladylike" way, but due to society and upbringing I WILL sit like that if someone is sitting next to me.
If im sat alone, I do sit how I find most comfortable.

As a woman I always “manspread” and never cared about it except if I was wearing a short skirt which I never ever do.

Possibly the reality is some people find one sitting position comfortable and some don't. I've just tried the man spread and it was not comfortable. At home I sit with my legs curled up under me (or lounging full length Cleopatra style.) husband is knees together or crossed legs. On a train - I'm knees together or crossed legs.

Plenty of men sit knees together. In crowded public transport both sexes should use that position.

I sit like a man...especially if one is beside me manspreading .
I've always found it a lot more comfortable

The barging into someone else's space is nothing to do with pelvises.

I was at a cabaret recently where the audience were seated around tables. Plenty of space. The man in the seat next to mine over the course of the performance, shunted gradually more and more into my space, and I actually didn't realise until I was hard up against my friend who was sitting on the other side and had no more room to surrender to him. So I thought sod it, I'm holding my ground, and sat, squarely on my chair, refusing to cross my legs out of his space and lean away and just use the far edge of it.

He didn't notice. He was perfectly happy to sit bang up against me, leg against mine, shoulder against mine, not a care in the world. I successfully refrained from inserting my glass up his nose, and pointed out to him that he was being socially inept, rude and looking like a twat crowding me and please could he back the fuck off move. He was baffled.

Probably suspected me of burning bras in my spare time.

I thought they did it because the just wanted everyone to think the have massive balls

I'm a woman-spreader. Have no manners and just more comfortable like that.

turtle I vividly remember an argument with my (very lovely) father when I was a very little girl. He told me to put my legs together and when I pointed out that he wasn’t doing it, he said that he was allowed to because he was a man but that women/girls had to put them together.

It was a very long time ago so he wasn’t wrong. I don’t think I’d tell me daughter that now though.

If I'm next to a manspreader I shove my bag in between us, at the front of the seat, making sure any hard knobbly things in it are on his side. And then shove it over a bit more, just so it's right on the edge of my space & ideally making it uncomfortable & inconvenient for him to be pushing into me. Usually works.

I do pretty much the same as Empress.

I usually stand on public transport because a) sitting is the new smoking and v. bad for us and b) I’d always assume on public transport as a relatively young and able person someone else probably has greater need of a seat.

If I’ve been walking a long way I might take a seat if it’s mostly empty, but we could all stand to being a little kinder with one another when it comes to sharing public spaces.

My dickhead ex is adamant that he cannot sit with his legs completely together, because it is painful for his genitals (which aren't quite as enormous as he likes to believe). I took to pointing out to him every time I spotted him doing just that (surprisingly often for one who claimed it physically hurt to sit that way), and reassuring him that he really would not develop compartment syndrome in his penis if he deigned to sit that way for five minutes on the bus occasionally...

So they've mansplained manspreading?

Can I just say that my very lovely DH us 6 foot 5 HAS to manspread because he physically cannot put his knees together on trains or standard plane seats.

I know this isn't the majority of men, but in his case there IS a genuine reason.

Jiggling your leg/arm is a guaranteed way of repelling man spreading. Works on planes and trains and in the pub.

I can't stand having entitlement pressed up against me... jiggle a bit and it's gone.

Can I just say that my very lovely DH us 6 foot 5 HAS to manspread because he physically cannot put his knees together on trains or standard plane seats

Nah.

I have a 6ft 5er as well and he manages not to offend over 50% of the population. It might be a bit uncomfortable for him but IDGAF, it's fucking uncomfortable to be manspread onto.

Erm you put your legs together and to the side.

Like we tall women do.

What about fat people like me. I mean obviously I need to lose the weight but in the meantime I’m not going to be sitting in some dainty ladylike position. I need some air between my thighs.

Nah.

Genuinely. His legs don't fit knees together slanted to the side on Southern Trains.

Sorry.

It's true.

You’re going off on a bit of a tangent there

He doesn't manspread on to women he doesn't know. He stands because the seats aren't fit for purpose.

He manspreads all over me, though.

It is a public display of male dominance. Just like catcalling and taking up too much space on the sidewalks and hogging both armrests.

And the thing they do in gyms, throwing weights around and grunting. Puhleeese, so unnecessary.

And vigorously doing butterfly stroke up and down the middle of a crowded pool sending waves in all directions and oblivious to the effect on everyone else, so all the women who were swimming in that lane and the next lane have to surrender the space and go crowd together out of the way.