Space Hogs

[judecorp]

I'm wondering when it is that women/girls learn to take as little space as possible, and men/boys learn to take as much space as possible. I began wondering about this on the campus bus this morning.

I ride the campus bus for about 15 minutes from my parking lot on West Campus to my Big Gay Job at the Union. Usually I can find a seat, but sometimes, depending on what time, I stand. I stood for a little bit this morning, but as some people began getting off, I could see there were some seats in the back. Three of them, to be exact. One in the way back, and one on either side in the back.

There was one seat that was all but obliterated because a male student (assuming student) was sitting with his legs spread so wide open that his left leg was blocking the open seat. He was taking over 1.5 seats on a full bus.

Guess which seat I chose of the three? :)

He was very obviously put out, and his body language was rather hostile. He never moved his leg, and I practically sat on him and squeezed my booty in the space he'd provided, and continued to relax until I had pushed him partially out of my seat. He held steadfast onto that extra space, though, and frowned, and was very stiff and angry.

I wonder if his reaction would have been the same if I had been some traditionally beautiful young female student. I wonder if he would have shifted, or been more polite. (I'm fairly ambiguous today on first glance - cargo pants, hooded sweatshirt, Adam's baseball cap, and I'm bound pretty tightly.) I wonder a lot of things.

But mostly I'm wondering how this stuff is learned. I don't remember anyone ever telling me to sit as smallishly as possible, although I have always watched women cross their legs (which takes up much less room and - gods forbid! - conceals the cooter!) or at the very least put their knees together.

Either way, I eventually took back my whole damned seat, suckah. He murmured something at me when he got off the bus. Oops. :)

Comments

btw

[zarabeth.livejournal.com]

I also object to the cramming in next, which tends to be a "man" thing. It's one thing when it's crowded -- then you really don't have any choice. But perhaps because I am of the scrawny persuasion, people seem to love to crash right into the space next to me, EVEN WHEN THERE ARE TONS OF SEATS. This is a thing that I just can't understand. I should be penalized by your annoying, uncomfortably close presence ... why ? Because I happen to be freakishly thin and wasn't using the space anyway ? Newsflash : get the fuck back from people you don't know. Give someone else the space you would want. Don't assume I am sane or that I want a companion -- try not to assume.

I thought "femme invisibility" meant something else. :-/

Ok, end of rant. =)

Re: btw

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I've never seen that, not on the campus buses. Usually people sit as far away from each other as possible.

Wow.

Re: btw

[zarabeth.livejournal.com]

It happens to me on COTA a lot, usually though when the bus is about moderately full. And I guess sometimes it's someone larger, so maybe they are thinking that my 0.5 butt plus their 1.5 one makes 2 seats worth. But being right next to someone twice (or more) my size is frankly somewhat (or more than somewhat) intimidating. And I just don't want my butt to touch an unknown someone else's. That's just not comfy.

But in other situations, like the library, it can be totally empty except for me, and someone will sit right next to me. Which is the case right now as I write this (-- though in this guy's defense there were one or two other people around when he got here, and some of the computers weren't working.) It's like they are saving space for the universe or something. I dunno.

(Or like they are trying to hit on me. ;-) But that is so a possibility I find hard not to overlook.)

Campus people tend to be more sensitive about it than the population at large. But not always. Attribute that to what you will.