The plague of Manspreading

Turkey · January 21, 2015, 12:21:50 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/nyregion/MTA-targets-manspreading-on-new-york-city-subways.html?_r=0

Quote

It is the bane of many female subway riders. It is a scourge tracked on blogs and on Twitter.

And it has a name almost as distasteful as the practice itself.

It is manspreading, the lay-it-all-out sitting style that more than a few men see as their inalienable underground right.

I thought this was a joke when I first heard about it. As I'm sure you've heard, manspreading is a tumblr/SJW idiom to describe men spreading their legs on public transit to oppress women and spread patriarchy. So here's a totally serious video from the New York Times in which a reporter interviews a famous puppet about how to respond to manspreading (such responses include punching them in the face). The video is coupled with damning evidence in the form of pictures of men on public transit with their legs spread open a bit.

The reality, of course, is that pretty much everyone on public transit does this and it's very unusual for someone to continue taking up space if someone asks to sit there. It's synonymous with women or students storing bags on the seat next to them when space is available.

I dunno, something about this just kind of pisses me off. 'Manspreading' is such an inexplicably annoying word, and it pains me to see real news videos about this.

More Than Mortal · January 21, 2015, 12:23:30 PM

I'm too busy checking out the girl's legs next to him.

Oh no! The patriarchy!

It got me!

Turkey · January 21, 2015, 12:25:58 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on January 21, 2015, 12:23:30 PM

I'm too busy checking out the girl's legs next to him.

Oh no! The patriarchy!

It got me!

That woman's Starbucks bag is clearly infringing on the seat next to her. Why don't any bloggers go around publicly shaming them?

The Lord Slide Rule · January 21, 2015, 12:49:48 PM

Women's gonads don't hang down between their legs. They've really got no right.

Mordo · January 21, 2015, 12:57:17 PM

Who actually sits fucking legs akimbo anyway?

big sponge · January 21, 2015, 01:06:03 PM

Mr. Psychologist · January 21, 2015, 01:06:57 PM

It's such a non-issue that it beggars belief that it's being taken seriously.

Someone sitting on a train with their legs spread like that (pic in the OP) is just normal/comfortable for someone who doesn't want to 'crush the crown jewels'. If they have their legs spread far and wide to prominently display their pride and joy then yeah, that's obnoxious as all hell... but to give people shit for sitting like that^ .____.

More Than Mortal · January 21, 2015, 01:09:42 PM

'I need to sit that way because of my balls' — and 5 other misguided defences of 'manspreading' on public transport.

If you're someone who manspreads, let me 'womansplain' why you should close your legs.

And that day, Your Honour, was the day I stopped fucking reading the Independent.

Naoto · January 21, 2015, 01:10:09 PM

Third wave feminism ladies and gents.

Sprungli · January 21, 2015, 01:15:10 PM

The woman next to him is crossing her legs. That mean her foot is obstructing the space in front, or her foot is pointed towards a person (which is disgusting).

Both of those is worse than a guy sitting totally naturally

True Turquoise · January 21, 2015, 01:15:55 PM

On no I cant sit so my balls don't get crushed now?

Jesus

Elegiac · January 21, 2015, 01:17:31 PM

Fuck... I always sit in the Priority seats reserved for old people, pregnant women, the disabled ect... I'm really bad

but there's a pole I can rest one shoe against by throwing one leg across both priority seats, and it's a really comfy n ballin' position.

In my defense I'll give it up if there aren't any/hardly any normal seats available and I see people who the seats are meant for.

Mr. Psychologist · January 21, 2015, 01:20:55 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on January 21, 2015, 01:09:42 PM

'I need to sit that way because of my balls' — and 5 other misguided defences of 'manspreading' on public transport.

If you're someone who manspreads, let me 'womansplain' why you should close your legs.

And that day, Your Honour, was the day I stopped fucking reading the Independent.

Ugh.

And the BBC is starting to show signs of infection too, there have been a few articles in the last couple of weeks that have had me double taking over whether or not this should be on the BBC or whether it should be on jay's fucking twitter account.

aREALgod · January 21, 2015, 01:26:22 PM

Quote

“I had them add the dude part,” he said, “because I think, ‘Dude, really?’ "

Oddly enough that's exactly what I think of this "issue".

Raptorx7 · January 21, 2015, 01:28:30 PM

Well I guess ill just cut my dick off so I stop offending woman.

Ajax · January 21, 2015, 01:29:44 PM

lol extreme feminists

Verbatim · January 21, 2015, 01:31:08 PM

I don't manspread. Isn't it generally considered common courtesy not to take so much space?... It's weird that feminists are apparently hijacking it, but I mean... it's a good idea to give people some room, you know...

aREALgod · January 21, 2015, 01:34:20 PM

Quote from: Verbatim on January 21, 2015, 01:31:08 PM

I don't manspread. Isn't it generally considered common courtesy not to take so much space?... It's weird that feminists are apparently hijacking it, but I mean... it's a good idea to give people some room, you know...

And when more people begin sitting next to you, you can give allotted room. I think this just goes to show how far feminism has fallen - complaining about how men sit. I mean, they're so out of options of things to whine about, it's come to that.

They can spread "equality", I'll keep spreading my legs.