Meaning of womanspreading | Babel Free

Definitions

The practice of women taking up extra space on public transport, for example by sitting with splayed legs or bringing large garments or bags.

derogatory, informal, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Our manspreading went off without incident[…]. Womanspreading was a different prospect entirely, to the spreader, it felt rude and physically provocative. People opposite stared[…].”

“Germaine Greer’s natural pose is legs apart, womanspreading, in a skirt, giving people a full facial.”

“Women on screen, as in middle-class society, tend to be physically continent, trained not to take up too much space. In contemporary parlance, we have manspreading but not womanspreading.”

“Gender rules determine how a woman should feel, look, and behave. She is expected to be sexually and emotionally attracted to men, must have long hair, and should cross her legs when sitting (no womanspreading on public transit!).”

“Just want to thank Colin Fleming for his op-ed on womanspreading (“Can we talk about womanspreading?” Nov. 12).”

“Big dresses speak of a refusal to blend in: a desire to stand up and be counted. In fact, you could call them the ultimate in womanspreading. Even in 2019, a supposed age of equality, women are still ‘expected’ to sit a certain way:[…]”

“Oh whoops think I was just guilty of #womanspreading: when your bag verges onto the seat next to you subtly discouraging anyone from sitting down”

CEFR level