riot-pant-prject

The brilliant idea of two Berlin women to denounce manspreading

undefined undefined 3 mars 2021 undefined 15h53

undefined undefined 3 janvier 2024 undefined 10h40

The Editor

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Two design students put their training at the service of feminist activism in the Berlin subway.

You see that guy who sits next to you on the subway and spreads his legs wider with each station, almost invading your seat? It's against this male habit that we often endure, called "manspreading", that German activists have decided to take action. The "Riot pant project" For a few weeks now, Elena Buscaino, Mina Bonakdar, and their friends have been walking around the subway in jeans. Sounds normal, right? But actually, when there are enough people around, they spread their legs to reveal very meaningful messages on their jeans, such as "stop spreading" or "give us space". To create these jeans wielded as weapons, the two design students launched the "Riot pant project", which consists of transforming worn-out pants.They are true signs carrying messages.

So their goal is to reproduce the position of manspreaders to convey their ideas. According to Elena Buscaino: "It is only through imitation that the interlocutor understands the effect of their behavior." The act does not immediately change men's posture, but it certainly makes them reflect. Seeing the messages between the legs of the two women, passers-by are then pushed to question the practice.

A Problem that is Not New

While everyone has the impression that manspreading is a recent issue because we only put a name to the practice in 2013, this societal problem is actually very old; the practice started with the advent of public transportation. In the 1830s, the Time of London already asked bus users to be cautious: "Sit with your limbs close to your body and do not position your legs at a 45-degree angle, which would occupy the space of two people." (according to History of the Bakerloo Line by Feather). Other major cities like New York are trying to reason with their users, and in Madrid, it is even possible to receive a fine for "male spreading".

A new and original way to reclaim public space that is likely to please many!