Manspreading

“Manspreading” is when a man—although the term could also apply to a woman—spreads his legs on the subway and takes up more than one subway seat. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) began a campaign against “manspreading” in 2014.
 
The term “Man Spread” was entered in the Urban Dictionary on April 8, 2010.
   
   
Urban Dictionary
Man Spread
Where a dude sits down on a chair and spreads out his legs to make a V shape with them.
“Dude I need to man spread, I have been on my feet all day.”
by Czechyourself April 08, 2010
   
amNewYork
“Man spread” a widening blight on public transportation, say riders
By SHEILA ANNE FEENEY October 6, 2014
A stealthy, non-verbal battle for space occurs every day on the subway trains of New York City.
 
Many men sit with their knees splayed far beyond their hips, claiming enough space for two and sometimes three people in a position colloquially known as “man spread.”
 
Twitter
amNewYork
‏@amNewYork
So what do you think is the appropriate punishment for manspreading? http://bit.ly/1xkWRKA 
9:55 AM - 7 Oct 2014
     
Twitter
Tracy Morison
‏@TracyMorison
Manspreading (verb) act, most often by males, of taking up inordinate amount of public space, usually by spreading legs (AKA lava balls)!
3:26 AM - 17 Dec 2014
 
Gothamist
Video: Confronting Subway Manspreaders
Lauren Evans in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 18, 2014 11:50 am
Knowingly or not, you have seen the phenomenon of “manspreading” in nature. You’ve probably been its unwitting victim. The slow (or rapid) creep of a knee into your own by a guy (indeed, it is always a guy) taking up more than his fair share of real estate on public transit. I’m not talking about the equally obnoxious habit of placing a bag on the seat beside you. This is different. This is specific.
 
The Huffington Post
Watch A Woman Confront Manspreaders On The Subway
By Alanna Vagianos
Posted: 12/19/2014 11:57 am EST Updated: 12/19/2014 11:59 am EST MANSPREADING
“Are you familiar with the term manspreading?”
 
Despite measures taken to raise awareness of “men taking up too much space on the subway,” there are still many who aren’t aware that “manspreading” is even a term. In their new video “Manspreading,” the dedicated journalists at Gothamist confront men on New York City subways to ask if they’ve ever heard of “manspreading” and if they realize they’re doing it. The results were a bit awkward.
   
New York (NY) Times
A Scourge Is Spreading. M.T.A.’s Cure? Dude, Close Your Legs.
By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS DEC. 20, 2014
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.
 
Now passengers who consider such inelegant male posture as infringing on their sensibilities — not to mention their share of subway space — have a new ally: the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
     
Twitter
Emma G. Fitzsimmons
‏@emmagf
We have the first look at the @MTA’s new courtesy campaign. Here’s the poster that takes on #manspreading.
2:34 PM - 20 Dec 2014
 
Gawker
From the Comments on the New York Times Story about “Manspreading”
Brendan O’Connor
December 20, 2014 5:00pm
Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new campaign against men who take up too much room on the subway, a practice which has been dubbed “manspreading.”
 
Siddhartha Vicious:
As a man, I find this behavior to be extremely irritating as well. Just because men do it, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t piss off other men as well.
 
Jake S:
It’s not just women who hate this! Us guys are missing out on seats too, and this behavior makes us all look bad.
 
Joe:
The coining of the term seems sexist to me, against men. I’ve seen women spreading out, as well — not just with shopping bags, but by also by spreading their hips and legs. Why not just call is spreading? It’s an unfair generalization. Not to mention tacky, aesthetically.
 
Twitter
John Schwartz
‏@jswatz
Somebody needs to try mansplaining why we needed the word “manspreading.” http://nyti.ms/1GF3fBa
7:48 PM - 20 Dec 2014