S.P.R.E.A.D IS A UK BASED FEMINIST COLLECTIVE PROMOTING WOMEN TO TAKE UP MORE SPACE. THROUGH CHARGED HUMOUR AND COLD, HARD FACTS, WE AIM TO BRING AN AWARENESS TO GENDERED LEG AND ARM SPREADING THAT PLAGUES LONDON TRANSPORT.

​​

​ ​

DO YOU KNOW WHAT MANSPREADING IS AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND FROM A FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE?

MANSPREADING REFERS TO THE ACT OF AN INDIVIDUAL SITTING WITH THEIR LEGS SPREAD WIDE APART IN AN WAY THAT ENCROACHES ON THE SPACE OF OTHERS. WHILE MANY PEOPLE (MAINLY MEN) MAY ARGUE THAT IS IT SIMPLY A MATTER OF COMFORT FOR MALE ANATOMY, MANSPREADING CAN BE VIEWED AT A MICROAGGRESSION THAT REINFORCES TRADITIONAL GENDER ROLES AND PERPETUATES THE IDEA THAT MEN ARE ENTITLED TO MORE SPACE AND RESOURCES THAN WOMEN.

​​​

​

WHAT GIVES MALE USERS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT A RIGHT TO GREATER LEVELS OF COMFORT ON THE TUBE THAN OTHERS? 

​​

LET’S FORGET ABOUT THE VARIOUS SHAPES AND SIZES OUR BODILY ANATOMY CAN HAVE FOR A SECOND. MANSPREADING IS A SMALL COMPONENT OF A MUCH LARGER AND GENDERED SOCIETAL ISSUE. BY OCCUPYING MORE PHYSICAL SPACE WITH THEIR LEGS, MEN ARE SYMBOLICALLY ASSERTING THEIR DOMINANCE AND FLEXING POWER DYNAMICS. THIS MARGINALIZES WOMEN TO FEEL SMALL IN PUBLIC SPACES, WHETHER MEN INTEND TO SPREAD OR NOT. PEOPLE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE IMPACT THEY MIGHT BE UNKNOWINGLY HAVING ON SOMEONE ELSE'S DAY. UNDERSTANDING MANSPREADING THROUGH A FEMINIST LENS IS NOT JUST ABOUT POINTING OUT BEHAVIOURS OF SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS; IT IS ABOUT RECOGNIZING AND CHALLENGING THE BROADER SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO GENDER INEQUALITY. ​​

​

​

WHY OUR VOICE MATTERS:

​

WE CREATED S.P.R.E.A.D TO INITIATE A DIALOGUE ON THE IMPACT ENTITLED SPREADING HAS ON WOMEN USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT, AND TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE SPATIAL INEQUALITIES THAT WOMEN STRUGGLE WITH ON A DAILY BASIS. THROUGH EDUCATION AND TONGUE-IN-CHEEK ADVOCACY, WE POKE FUN AT THE SYSTEM, WHILST PROMPTING INDIVIDUALS THAT COME ACROSS OUR WORK TO CONSIDER THEIR OWN SPATIAL ENTITLEMENT. WE HOPE TO HELP PEOPLE CREATE MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTS WHERE EVERYONE FEELS RESPECTED.​

​

​

SO, THE NEXT TIME YOU COME ACROSS SOMEONE ENGAGING IN THE ACT OF SPREADING - OR IF YOU ARE PERHAPS EVEN GUILTY OF SPREADING YOURSELF - TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON THE DEEPER IMPLICATIONS OF THE ACTION. BY CHALLENGING THESE INGRAINED BEHAVIOURS, WE CAN WORK TOWARDS A MORE JUST OCCUPATION OF SPACE FOR ALL. 

​​​