Poll: Do You Manspread

[Adamantium93]

I'll "manspread" if no one is trying to sit near me. Its not that I can't put my legs closer together (though I cannot bring my knees together without discomfort and forget crossing my legs at any place higher than the ankles), its just so much more comfortable not to. It isn't even a conscious decision; I just naturally try to be as comfortable as possible. It has nothing to do with "presenting" myself or "claiming my territory", which are the criticism I hear most from women. If someone is looking for a place to sit, I'll assume a more polite position. If I'm on my own and there are plenty of empty spaces, I won't sit in an uncomfortable way just because someone is projecting their misconceptions of masculine power-performance.

To be fair, it is incredibly rude to take up more than one seat when people are trying to sit there. Also, those pricks who cross their legs and suddenly their shoes are marking up your jacket or jeans. I like to think that there are special places in hell for those people, a place where you have to sit on a plane in front of a kick-happy child on sugar and behind a snoring man in full recline.

 

[Beffudled Sheep_v1legacy]

I do spread my legs a bit when I sit. It is much more comfortable and doesn't take up much extra space since I'm a tall and wide person anyway.
Also, being tall and having long legs makes it kind of necessary just to fit in some seats if they're closely packed together.

If someone goes to sit in a seat next to me I try to close my legs a bit while still maintaining comfort to be courteous.
If people still have a problem with it then they can go cry somewhere because I really don't care.

 

[lacktheknack]

Jeezy Chreezy. I'd be concerned for a guy who can't close his legs without pain, that doesn't sound right to me.

I'm on team this. I just touched my knees together to make sure I'm not completely insane. Nope - they naturally move a couple inches apart because I have huge womanly thighs, but somehow this experience did not cripple me with pain.

Maybe I'm the weirdo?

 

[Zontar]

Yes I do, because I have something between my legs and it is incredibly uncomfortable not to. People can complain about it, but I've yet to see someone do it any wider then their shoulder width.

 

[Lightknight]

One thing to be mindful here is that men and women are not the same here. Women have a wider pelvic angle naturally to allow for childbirth whereas men have a narrower angle. This means when a man puts his knees together the thighs are even closer together than when a woman does so. Just, random info from pre-med to throw in here. Our sitting angles are naturally different regardless of location of gonads.

I would wager so, too, though I severely doubt anybody's testicles are so massive as to require more than a small gap. They are not that gigantic, unless there is some condition involved.

Sometimes you just catch them wrong, too. It just happens. You don't need a ton of room. But as long as you have the space to do so, the optimal position is wider than not.

I've not carried out any kind of study, but do observe hundreds of men on a weekly basis on public transport, and the vast majority do not need to sit with their legs significantly far apart. Small gap, sure; obtuse angle, no.

Sure. I didn't say we needed an obtuse angle. I just said a decent angle is more comfortable. I personally wouldn't want an obtuse angle unless I just wanted some stranger to run up and kick me. But I've seen it when a person was trying to fall asleep while sitting. The wide stance helps with balance in that case.

If a sitting position which comes naturally to most causes one severe discomfort, then that's cause for concern. Testicles are not massive enough to require a wide angle.

Sitting on or squeezing one's testicles does not come naturally to most. You are making an assumption that is not necessarily correct based on data you have not gathered. I would disagree that sitting with knees touching comes naturally to most too. Girls can sit with their knees together and it's fine. If a guy is doing that it will (should) at least eventually lead to the good ol' creeping pain. There's also other factors like zippers that might still find a way to press against the sack despite it being through a pair of underwear.

It's worth noting, by the way, that s0denone was not arguing that it is necessary for some; he claimed it was a necessity for all, unless their "balls hadn't dropped". That's just absurdly, transparently false, as should be obvious from even cursory observation.

I mean, wide angles I can attest are not necessary. Just more comfortable. But "some angle"? I'm sure some people have different things going on but it would stand to reason that most men should need some kind of angle to avoid immediate or eventual pain.

 

[Lightknight]

How would you know? Are you medical expert of some kind that has conducted research in this area? Did you survey a legitimate sample size of men? Do you have a control group?

My testicles are just fine. If I sit with my knees touching or close they will begin to hurt. I don't have to have a wide angle or anything. But there needs to be at least some space. Not more than my shoulders though. My shoulders are the real problem. I can almost spread over 45 degrees and still not hit my shoulder width.

But you're just going to have to deal with fact that a perfectly healthy pair of balls is going to hurt when enough pressure is applied. Even when the angle is slight they will still hurt over enough time. I don't know what the exact angle of no-pain is, but I'd wager it differs from person to person.

I would wager so, too, though I severely doubt anybody's testicle are so massive as to require more than a small gap. They are not that gigantic, unless there is some condition involved.

I would guess that this issue of comfort has less to do with testicle size and more to do with the size and shape of a man's thighs. My thighs are particularly noteworthy in their girth due to sports, which means creating the necessary space to avoid uncomfortable pressure requires a greater angle for my knees to be open. I don't have to lug my testicles around in a wheelbarrow, but I do suspect I do quite a bit more manspreading than might be average, especially if I'm wearing suit trousers or jeans.

Yeah, girth of thighs due to weight or muscle (or both) would certainly impact the minimum necessary angle to maintain ball-comfort.

As neologisms go, "Manspread" has to be one of least articulate, least useful, and most unlovely I've come across in a while. That it turns out to be an obfuscation of "being a rude asshole in a crowded public setting" makes it all the more untenable and obnoxious.

Nicely worded!

 

[The White Hunter]

Sorry I'll get on making myself 6 inches fucking shorter so my legs actually fit on public transport.

I'm not even tall.

I'm 5'10" and no train or bus seats ever have adaquete leg room.

 

[EvilRoy]

Jeezy Chreezy. I'd be concerned for a guy who can't close his legs without pain, that doesn't sound right to me.

I'm on team this. I just touched my knees together to make sure I'm not completely insane. Nope - they naturally move a couple inches apart because I have huge womanly thighs, but somehow this experience did not cripple me with pain.

Maybe I'm the weirdo?

It doesn't crush my balls when I do it, but it does squish my thigh muscles together and causes an ache in my hip joints. No matter what position my feet are in my knees automatically return to a spacing of about 16 cm when I stop putting constant effort to hold my knees together - which almost precisely aligns with the 90 degree perpendicular to the orientation of my pelvis.

All in all from what I can see here (staring at my sweet sexy thighs): it would be fairly uncomfortable to do for more than a few minues; bringing my knees together isn't going to give anyone else room that I don't want them to have (I'm not going to sit ass-to-ass on the bus, I'll just stand); and finally, if personal space matters at all, I could reasonably spread further since I'm still a solid 5-10 cm of spread away from having my knees square with my shoulders - which is the edge of the maximum tightness I would accept.

 

[Lightknight]

Sorry I'll get on making myself 6 inches fucking shorter so my legs actually fit on public transport.

I'm not even tall.

I'm 5'10" and no train or bus seats ever have adaquete leg room.

You know, I've noticed it too. I'm just an inch over average and I still find seating in some places strangely short where I either have to take up space in the aisle or spread out the old legs. I wonder what size person they were actually designed for now that you mention it.

 

[The White Hunter]

Sorry I'll get on making myself 6 inches fucking shorter so my legs actually fit on public transport.

I'm not even tall.

I'm 5'10" and no train or bus seats ever have adaquete leg room.

You know, I've noticed it too. I'm just an inch over average and I still find seating in some places strangely short where I either have to take up space in the aisle or spread out the old legs. I wonder what size person they were actually designed for now that you mention it.

My partner is 5' and even she has trouble sometimes with leg room. It's disgusting. I tend to stand up on any train under an hour.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Since I live in the middle of Squidbilly territory, the issue of man-spreading on public transport simply doesn't exist. Back when I DID live within civilization and would use the metro or ride-on system of pre-apocalyptia, I would not man-spread. I would sit cross-legged or (if I was lucky) press myself against the window because I'm one of those people who absolutely can't get enough of watching the scenery pass me by on my journey. I've done it of course when I've had a seat to myself but it's just not something I really did regularly.

 

[loa]

Yeah I don't subscribe to the narrative of assigning general douchy behavior to one gender and it doesn't susprise me that the faction who whines the loudest over "demeaning, sexist" terms such as "****" would come up with this without seeing the irony here.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

I don't use public transport, so it's not something that comes up often for me. However, my knees fall naturally about a foot and a half apart, which keeps them within my shoulders. Dem thighs keep my legs apart.

Edit: The bigger problem for me is that my knees don't like to be bent, and there's never enough room to straighten them.

 

[Frankster]

I'm a guy with big legs. Sitting in a conventional position is uncomfortable to me and I always tend to fidget a bit when I'm forced to do so for long periods of time, it made school hell for me (well was just one of many factors making it hell more like). I'm always crossing my legs, in fact I'm sitting cross legged as I'm typing this.

When taking the tube or bus I make an effort but if no one is around then yeah I'll make myself a little comfortable, though not via the traditional manspreading technique, if it doesn't bother anyone my first choice is always gonna be with at least one of my legs crossed, which is probably worst then man spreading ><

I'm a horrible, horrible person...

 

[Ryotknife]

I dont have a problem with a small gap. If my legs are completely closed, it is uncomfortable (and my body will move them apart, I have to make a conscious effort to keep them completely closed), and if I have to squeeze my legs shut, it is painful. Ran into this when I was riding in my sister's car and i had to have the seat all the way up because there was something behind it. I felt like someone was putting my testicles in a vice grip and squeezing for all its worth. Even now relaxing in my office recliner, my legs are no more than shoulder width apart.

That said, lol public transportation.

 

[Glongpre]

Frankly, I am more angered by people thinking this is a problem.

If you want to sit down, ask, and they will probably move their legs to accommodate. If they don't they are an asshole, not much you can do about that.

I fail to see anything indecent about it. It looks lazy sure, but it ain't like skirts are fashionable on men at the moment.

If your legs are too long, stand up. It isn't like standing is particularly taxing.

If your balls are being crushed, move them out of the way.

I forgot that common sense isn't too common.

 

[Saulkar]

At the same time I have freaking enormous thighs as a powerlifter so I do not how that factors in, if at all.

What we need to do is get talking about the real issue. Why are we being discriminated against? I can't remember the last time I went to buy pants and haven't felt muscle shamed about my thighs and butt. (All kidding aside I feel your pain haha)

OT: I mean, I am much more comfortable spreading out my legs when I sit and that's my default position. If someone needs a seat or I'm taking up more than my fair share of room then of course I'll be polite and pull everything together. I'm not happy about it though and it gets uncomfortable over time.

I feel you on clothing. Jeans are my favourite pants but they take forever to break into because of the size of my legs.

Spoiler: I get 2 inches of circumference after leg day so for an hour my pants are extra tight.

Spoiler: spooky stuff on the other side:

At the same time I also press my legs together most of the time. It might just be a residual habit from motorcycle riding but has never caused me any discomfort anyplace below the waist. The closest would be after hitting an unmarked speed-bump at night at 40KPH. That mostly knocked my wind out though.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

When I'm on public transport I have to, as I have unusually long legs. If I shut my legs together my nuts have an annoying habit of descending below my thighs so I sometimes sit on them (which is extremely unpleasant). It seems with age they really do start to gravitate further to the floor.

 

[Naldan]

I don't live in NY.

I have broad shoulders, I bet that would be enough to fine me.

To be honest for a second, I don't want to touch anyone sitting next to me, as good as I can, so I press myself onto the wall or try to find an angle. I can't stand sitting body-to-body with anyone I don't know. It's worse than standing in crowded areas or just anything with which I don't even have a problem at all. Just piss off when using public transport and especially if you fall asleep and use my shoulders as a pillow. That's one of the rare cases I get unproportionally aggressive. Fuck off.