Lifehacker released an article earlier this week discussing the ways you can fight back against man spreaders -- you know, those guys who sit with their legs apart on subways, thus ticking off all the third-wave feminists who think they're bogarting all the space. As a solution, Lifehacker has decided we should fight fire with fire.
In the article, the author discusses the ailments of the Metro Transit Authority, citing a disparity of proper funding and mechanical issues from a lack of technological improvements as culprits to the transit systems failure. He goes on to say how these will make your next ride a living nightmare. The author then makes the presumption that you may find yourself in the presence of a manspreader.
According to the article, the first move you should make is to ask politely, which is a perfectly reasonable start.
However, the piece then goes on to say that maybe the less polite approach would do you some good.
"Strongly indicate your intent to sit, give 'em a good stare, make your voice heard with a strong 'pardon me' and fill your allotted space," the author states. "If their bag is in your chair and they're unresponsive to your requests, don't be shy about moving it yourself. It's your seat, too."
While it's perfectly reasonable to be assertive and take a seat, (it's a public transit system and you are perfectly within your rights to inhabit an open spot), the author doesn't stop there.
The article suggests you then "make a scene," perhaps by throwing "accidental" elbows while muttering to yourself and shifting around. While this may seem unrealistically aggressive, it sounds like the author is citing personal experience.
Finally, we get to the ironically comedic atom bomb of this story: the author's suggestion to "manspread first," a proposal that does the hilarious job of basically rendering everything else before it irrelevant.
"Sometimes the best defense is a good offense" opens the paragraph, before the author goes on try and justify the very actions he's been rallying against for the past five paragraphs.
Looks like this dog-eat-dog world won't be saying farewell to the act of manspreading anytime soon.
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