Travelers enjoying the wonder of Madrid would do well to close their legs.
That edict goes especially for the males in the area, because a battle against manspreading has just reached a new level. In fact, official signs are about to go up on public transportation.
The Independent reports the Municipal Transportation Company (EMT) issued a statement and promised signs that will illustrate the practice of manspreading is now prohibited.
[CALLOUT]
For those not already in the know, manspreading is the fine art of not keeping your legs together while on the bus, train or park bench.
Essentially, if you have your legs wide open and are taking up more than one seat in a public area you are guilty of manspreading.
According to some, this transgression should mean a walk to the city limits where you would be barred for life. A more reasonable approach, it would seem, is what they are doing in Madrid, Spain, where manspreading is now prohibited.
EMT states, via The Independent: "The new information icon indicates the prohibition of taking a seating position that bothers other people. It's to remind transport users to maintain civic responsibility and respect the personal space of everyone on board."
Madrid's new sign is a nice depiction of manspreading for those out of the loop. This faceless avatar takes up about a seat and a half for its own edification, negating anyone else being able to sit in the seat next to it. There is also a giant red 'X' right at the top to illustrate that the general gesture here is banned.
The sign joins other images that will adorn public transport, informing users proper protocol and how to be a decent human being.
This includes, as the EMT states: "Do not carry the backpack; Moderate the volume of voice when using the mobile phone and use headphones; Do not put your feet in the seats, and, of course, do not smoke."
The report explains the Mujeres en Lucha group made banning manspreading a major cause and got its petition all the way to the mayor's office.
The Independent quotes the petition: "manspreading is the practice of certain men sitting with their legs wide open on public transport, taking up other people's space. It's not difficult to see women with their legs shut and very uncomfortable because there is a man next to them who is invading their space with his legs."
New York City is a bit of a pioneer in this regard. Its M.T.A. launched a campaign to discourage the act in 2014.
The New York Times quotes local Fabio Panceiro at the time who explained the other side of the argument: "I'm not going to cross my legs like ladies do. I'm going to sit how I want to sit."
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The Seattle's Sound Transit then took matters into its own tentacles in 2015 as it issued images to denounce manspreading that featured a friendly looking octopus.
It might be far more comfortable to spread out and take up a couple of seats on your ride around town. But it's just as uncomfortable to have your personal space impeded on a packed bus or train by Mr. Stretchy Legs who doesn't have qualms about manspreading.
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