At first, there were websites documenting them, then there were official campaigns launched against them. Now the men who comfortably spread their legs on trains leaving the rest of us squeezed in our seats have a new name: "manspreaders".
Last week, journalists at Gothamist asked men with their legs spread out on the subway: "Are you familiar with the term 'manspreading'?"
On the site, they describe what a "manspreader" is:
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.
The next time you get on the train, look down at your own knees—how far apart are they? If there's space enough for a litter of puppies or a celebrity selfie group shot, you are taking up too much space. Pull it in. Don't make us find you.
Reporter Lauren Evans caught the reactions of the men, many of whom had no idea they were part of the "manspreading" problem. Watch the video here:
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