Menspreding: what it is and how to live with it
A Life / / December 19, 2019
What is menspreding?
At this time, not just a new word in feminist circles, but really annoying phenomenon. Glared at the men, legs apart in public transport, do not even think that this phenomenon has a name.
The term manspreading (read "menspreding", from the English. man - «a man" and spread - «scatter (be), spread (to be)") got into the dictionary of the English language as early as 2015. Literally on the Russian language, he can not be translated and indicates the manner of men sit with his legs apart.
Someone placed so that you constrain the seat? Or you can not even sit down because there is no full-fledged space? Oh yeah, it menspreding.
It's rude, because it is often in such a way one person occupies in the public transport, two or even three seats. In addition, it violates the private space is absolutely alien to you people. Believe me, the vast majority do not care how you sit, stand and walk, if you do not violate someone else's personal space. Few nice to feel the touch of the unknown man's feet.
What is the reason?
Women talk about lack of culture, men are justified by its dominant nature, and doctors attribute this to the anatomy:
John Sutcliffe, a neurosurgeonThe width of the pelvis in women significantly more than men, and the femoral neck angle more acute. These factors play a role in the fact that men are not so comfortable to sit with shifted knees than women.
But in this matter, not all experts agree. Michael Eisenberg, MD, from Yale University and an assistant professor of urology at the Stanford School of Medicine, He says: "There is no convincing evidence that the seat with mixed by the feet has a great influence on the reproductive function. Of course, there may be some conditions that will make this position uncomfortable for men. For example, after certain surgical interventions excessive pressure on the groin area during recovery can be uncomfortable and even harmful. In addition, some diseases associated with accumulation of fluid or hernia in the groin, can hinder the convergence of legs. "
Where can I find?
The public transport around the world. So, now in New York menspreding considered an administrative offense. But it all started much earlier.
The first mention of the phenomenon referred to as many as 1915. Not surprisingly, mentioned menspreding was not somewhere, and in the public service, dedicated to etiquette in public transport.
Leaflets in the subway of New York for 1953 were aimed directly against several kinds of uncultured behavior: peeking into someone else's newspaper, partitioning doors and even contempt for the stranger clothes. Menspreding Space Hog was called here, which can be translated as "space absorber".
The term began to gain popularity with the 2013th, when the network has a blog One Bro, Two Seats ( «One guy, two seats"). There were published photo collages with a man who is sitting on the subway, legs wide apart.
The public transport in Madrid also appeared PSAs against menspredinga. Man sitting on the icon so that it takes not only his, but also the neighboring places. Inscription politely asked not to collapse on the seat.
In Tokyo, posters in public transport is very different but have the same meaning. A man with legs wide apart and constrain the right side of the passenger does not give the child to sit down, saying, "I would also like to sit down. There's plenty of room. "
How to live with it?
There are several options. You can go to an active offensive, joining fighters with menspredingom in Russia. Maybe it is your action to help defeat ignorance across the country. Or gaining strength and confidence to do "-flung 'comments on public transport (and suddenly listen?). Or you can do to limit their comfort zone and do not pay attention to who how much space. In crowded but not mad!
One rule is the same for everyone: Be always vzaimovezhlivy, because you are in this world, and the city bus is not alone.