Poll: Do You Manspread

[Pseudonym]

As a man with, ahem, normal assets I was not able to cause myself any discomfort by closing my legs together. Nor was I able to create any noticeable differences in the crotch of my pants while wearing jeans.

Same thing here. I'm sitting with my legs crossed right now and am experiencing no issues whatsoever.

On the other hand, I see people take up unneccesary space in public transport all the time in many other ways. Using the second seat for their bags and using the aisle seat when the window seat is free are the two I see the most. And even those things, that annoy me a lot more than people spreading their legs a little are already minor nuisances that can be circumvented by asking for space.

This whole thing seems like a non issue blown out of proportion by people who want to score points in the current gender wars. The whole thing doesn't greatly matter one way or the other.

 

[Amir Kondori]

Most men and women like to spread out a little if there is room. The rude ones do so even if there is not, but I have found that to be very rare indeed.

This is one of those pretend things the internet likes to complain about because it is the internet. Like mansplaining and everything on tumblr.

 

[s0denone]

...What if you're big, fat, have a generous helping of testicles and can still sit comfortably in a chair without flopping your legs out?

Just sayin', anecdotes are all well and good until we try to make arguments from 'em. Because then some fat, large-balled fuck (i.e. me) will come butting in going 'Your argument doesn't fit my personal experience!' and ruin everything with his ability to not knee other passengers and try to pass it off as 'I need the space for comfort'.

I don't believe you or we have very different standards of what "manspreading" is.

I refuse to believe it is preferrable to anyone to sit with their knees pressed together, if they have testicles or any kind of thighs. There is no way that can be preferrable. No way.

Admittedly, I've not read every post in the thread. Is anyone saying that you have to press your knees together to not take up extra space? All you really need to do is sit with your knees not further apart than your shoulders. There. You're no longer taking up extra space. And there's no need to press your knees together.

That is fair enough. I haven't a fucking clue how I need to sit to qualify.
So is sitting like this:

as was linked on the bottom of page 2, manspreading?

 

[Drops a Sweet Katana]

I'll spread myself out across a couple of seats on a fairly empty bus or train (although it's more sitting diagonally than spreading my legs), but other than that I keep my knees at most shoulder width apart or only within the width of the seat. Any wider than that is dick move when you have someone sitting next to you.

 

[Reasonable Atheist]

Forget legs. If i sit on a bus with my left shoulder against the window, my right shoulder is encroaching on the next seat's territory. What's a man to do?

 

[sageoftruth]

I sit with my legs apart and my hands lazily resting in my lap, when not sitting beside anyone, because it's more relaxing. On public transport, my legs are usually too long to point forward. If nobody else needs a seat, I'll also put my bag beside me so I don't have to carry it in my arms or put it on the sometimes filthy floor. I usually find it considerably more annoying when teenagers sit down a few seats away with their sh**ty tunes blasting through tinny Beats headphones.

I know of no reliable studies or peer-reviewed pieces on this particular hysteria. I avoid.

That's a good point. I forgot to consider seats that have a seat right in front of them. The train I usually take has side-facing seats, or seats so far apart that it's not a problem, but I have long legs too, and if I'm on one of those cheap buses with a seat right in front of me, then I cannot help but manspread. Either that or rest my feet up on the seat in front of me, which it probably worse.

 

[sageoftruth]

Usually sit with my legs crossed. Never had any issue whatsoever closing my legs.

If anyone does have issues they should probably have that checked out by a doctor, if your balls are that bloated you've probably got an STD of some kind...

I'd probably take up even more space if I sat that way. I have long legs and I'm about as flexible as a plank of wood. With that said, I can handle sitting knees together for the 20 minutes it takes me to get to work. I don't know what everyone else is complaining about. I'm pretty massive, so I doubt it has much to do with body type.

 

[Barbas]

That's a good point. I forgot to consider seats that have a seat right in front of them. The train I usually take has side-facing seats, or seats so far apart that it's not a problem, but I have long legs too, and if I'm on one of those cheap buses with a seat right in front of me, then I cannot help but manspread. Either that or rest my feet up on the seat in front of me, which it probably worse.

Well in those cases, I think you have to balance both the neighbour spaces and the tripping hazard to aisle pilgrims.

 

[axlryder]

I have to spread my legs to some extent, I don't care what other people say about their anatomy, but mine does not allow for me to put my legs together for any extended period of time for various reasons, and they pretty much HAVE to be shoulder width apart after a minute or so or it is remarkably uncomfortable for both my hip joints AND my testicles (either of which would convince me of the need spread my legs). Based on some of the "examples" I've seen of manspreading online, many of the people accused of doing it are hardly taking up more space than they otherwise would be if they closed their legs, and the fact that "feminist activists" are blind-siding those very same people about it with interviews and trying to claim there's some inherent subconscious patriarchal justification for their behavior is frankly ridiculous, offensive and frustrating on multiple levels. That's like randomly interviewing fat people and saying that their weight problem is caused by poor self-control and that they're being inconsiderate of others around them by not getting it together. I'm not saying that all of the people who spread aren't doing that (it's potentially plausible but there's very little research to support or dismiss that claim), but the way this has turned into some kind of fucking witch hunt has gotten ridiculous.

Also, the guys on here who are trying to speak for other guys and talk about this topic as though they are medical professionals who have done extensive research on a large sample size of the genitalia of other men and the degree of discomfort they might experience by closing their legs when sitting are clearly talking out of their ass. Seriously, the handwaving/shaming tactic of "if you can't handle it then there's probably something wrong with you" bullshit is incredibly insensitive. Yes, it is that uncomfortable for SOME people who are simply made that way (not to mention some people probably DO have legitimate medical issues that shouldn't be dismissed or shamed because of it). These people shouldn't have to sacrifice their seating because that's how they're built or be forced to endure extreme discomfort because of it.

Normally I wouldn't get so defensive about something so seemingly stupid, but if this topic had just been broached by feminists (or whoever) in a far more even-handed, scientific and agreeable way (instead of by accusing, bullying, name-calling, ambushing and then claiming all detractors are full of shit despite the little evidence and poorly defined premise on their own end), then I would have almost zero issue with it.

 

[NiPah]

Man-Spreading can refer to literally any man who spreads his legs, if you want a word for men spreading their legs to take up more then one seat then make a new one up, this word can refer to any male who isn't knee to knee or sitting cross legged. I'm pretty sure the people who invented the term weren't referring to just the men spreading their legs to take up multiple seats on public transportation, and people who use the term are going to be lumped in with that crowd.

 

[Hagi]

People should sit how and where they want. If others find it rude or offensive they can fuck right off. I sit how and where and I want and I couldn't care any less what others think.

I'd really love for you to repeat that statement while an obese man is sitting on your lap.

 

[sageoftruth]

That's a good point. I forgot to consider seats that have a seat right in front of them. The train I usually take has side-facing seats, or seats so far apart that it's not a problem, but I have long legs too, and if I'm on one of those cheap buses with a seat right in front of me, then I cannot help but manspread. Either that or rest my feet up on the seat in front of me, which it probably worse.

Well in those cases, I think you have to balance both the neighbor spaces and the tripping hazard to aisle pilgrims.

You lost me there. What do you mean by 'balance'?

 

[Barbas]

You lost me there. What do you mean by 'balance'?

Well, you can either spread 'em or point 'em forward. The former gives aisle travellers more room, whilst the latter gives your seat neighbours more room. You'd have to change from one to the other if somebody's getting on or off the bus.

 

[sageoftruth]

You lost me there. What do you mean by 'balance'?

Well, you can either spread 'em or point 'em forward. The former gives aisle travellers more room, whilst the latter gives your seat neighbours more room. You'd have to change from one to the other if somebody's getting on or off the bus.

Unfortunately, these buses are always crowded, some someone's going to have to give in this case. Sometimes I slip both of my knees into the seat next to me. It's super uncomfortable, but at least that opens up the aisle on the other side. Of course, my favorite method is simply to avoid taking the bus altogether. City buses are the worst.

 

[Something Amyss]

So is sitting like this:

as was linked on the bottom of page 2, manspreading?

So let's clarify for a moment.

I was curious about the context (especially since he was supposedly "nagged" about it, according to the person who posted it) and so I ran a Google image search. The original source for this photo appears to be the Daily Fail in an article covering this specific Gothamist video.

My first thought: the woman who is supposedly "nagging" the commuters comes off as a reporter for any such "on the street" segment and asks roughly the questions I would expect a reporter to ask when dealing with a contemporary issue. Things like "do you know what it is," "are you doing it," and "how much space do you think is justified/too much?"

One of the other things I noticed was that the guy in the picture moved his legs in when asked about it. He moved them in even more if you go to the segment when hes asked what the appropriate level of space is.

From the Fail's own pictures, compare this:

To this:

I think it's particularly interesting that when asked what the appropriate amount of space was, this guy was cognisant enough to adjust his legs so his knees were roughly the width of his shoulders. This tells me he thinks this is the appropriate amount of space to take up. It also tells me he thinks he was "manspreading."

Also, I find the onlookers rather amusing.

Also also...you seriously don't know how to judge the relation of your knees to the rest of your body?

 

[renegade7]

I have no idea why it would be "physiologically impossible". When you stand up, your legs are close to straight down, not spread. This should not cause any pain to your genitals. If you can keep your legs straight standing up, you can keep them straight sitting down. Basic geometry, and I would know.

Fuck the stupid ass idiot who decided to make it a gender thing in the first place, which to my understanding was a Tumblr blog so there you go. It has jack fucking shit to do with gender, and more to do with basic goddamn manners, male or female.

It has a tangential relevance to gender. A woman wouldn't be unjustified in feeling threatened or creeped out if some strange guy started trying to show off his groin around her or trying to encroach on her personal space. Someone bodily shoving his leg up against yours and showing his nards off to the world is on a different level than putting your shopping bag in the seat next to you (which you also shouldn't be doing, for other reasons).

But that's just a subset of the greater issue of it being a personal space thing. Some people would just find it rude or irritating. But then there are some people who would interpret that as being sexually aggressive. It's one of those things where it's best to err on the side of caution.

 

[SweetShark]

Holy sh*t now I must feel bad if I sit with my legs open?
Yes, it is rude and I am not doing it myself if I get space for others to sit.
But for sexual harasment? WTF going on people? With this logic we must complains about the girls who shows daily their tits and asses by wearing ropes for clothes.
Do we complain? NO! We swallow this sweet poison like men we are!!!! And Lesbians I guess. The others girls are just jealous.

Half-Joking of course, beu don't you think we are very oversensitive.
At least in Greece the young people don't care about all this.

 

[Areloch]

So is sitting like this:

as was linked on the bottom of page 2, manspreading?

So let's clarify for a moment.

I was curious about the context (especially since he was supposedly "nagged" about it, according to the person who posted it) and so I ran a Google image search. The original source for this photo appears to be the Daily Fail in an article covering this specific Gothamist video.

My first thought: the woman who is supposedly "nagging" the commuters comes off as a reporter for any such "on the street" segment and asks roughly the questions I would expect a reporter to ask when dealing with a contemporary issue. Things like "do you know what it is," "are you doing it," and "how much space do you think is justified/too much?"

One of the other things I noticed was that the guy in the picture moved his legs in when asked about it. He moved them in even more if you go to the segment when hes asked what the appropriate level of space is.

From the Fail's own pictures, compare this:

To this:

I think it's particularly interesting that when asked what the appropriate amount of space was, this guy was cognisant enough to adjust his legs so his knees were roughly the width of his shoulders. This tells me he thinks this is the appropriate amount of space to take up. It also tells me he thinks he was "manspreading."

Also, I find the onlookers rather amusing.

Also also...you seriously don't know how to judge the relation of your knees to the rest of your body?

I will say, that if he was at all familiar with the term(even if not, any intelligent person could hazard a guess as to what "manspreading" would mean), him closing his legs doesn't inherently mean he thought he was actually guilty of doing the act, but that someone, expressly inquiring about the act of it, came up to HIM about the subject.

Not an extreme leap to imagine him adjusting himself was a natural defensive move to a socially conscious subject. It's not really all that uncommon when people are interviewed about socially unpleasant things to 'check' themselves on it when the questions begin, whether they were guilty or not.

That said, you're right, entirely possible he could have realized(or previously known) what he was doing and changed it when confronted.


One thing that strikes me, looking at those pictures, is why do people have an issue with 'manspreading' but also don't demand they check their elbows, which, as those images show, are causing him to take up more space, even before the "manspreading" is corrected. Is it only an issue with legs, and elbows taking up the same or more space is fine?