# Why are southerners so bow legged? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2000, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987 "2000-02-09T15:17:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curious\_george](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b487fb/32.png) [@curious\_george](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious_george)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/1 "2000-02-09T15:17:00Z")
When I visit the south it seems like the people who live there are more bow legged than people in other parts of the country, especially the men. Or think of country music singers you see on tv. Have you ever noticed how bow legged southerners tend to be? Some examples are Jeff Foxworthy and Garth Brooks. Why are southerners so bow legged? Do they ride horses more than other people? ---
**Author:** ![StrTrkr777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@StrTrkr777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrTrkr777)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/2 "2000-02-09T16:58:00Z")
Actually, it is from riding all those northern women who come down for the southern men’s charm. Jeffery ---
**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/3 "2000-02-09T17:00:00Z")
Maybe its cause we are carring such a huge “package” heh heh 🙂 * * * “I think it speaks to the duality of man sir.” (private Joker in Full Metal Jacket) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/4 "2000-02-09T17:36:00Z")
High-healed Western style (cowboy) boots can give that impression. There are large numbers of men in the South and Southwest who wear no other kind of footwear. * * * Elmer J. Fudd, Millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht. ---
**Author:** ![SoMoMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@SoMoMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoMoMom)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/5 "2000-02-09T19:10:00Z")
My opinion: It’s the combination of tight jeans and cowboy boots that give the impression. ---
**Author:** ![JoltSucker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@JoltSucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoltSucker)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/6 "2000-02-09T19:24:00Z")
I’m with aha. It’s because our balls are so huge… ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/7 "2000-02-09T19:26:00Z")
“High-healed”? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/8 "2000-02-09T19:39:00Z")
Spelling Nazi! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/9 "2000-02-09T19:40:00Z")
I shoulda put one of these 🙂 behind that. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/10 "2000-02-09T21:10:00Z")
Not Southern so much as Western . . . and yeah, tight jeans, chaps, and boots would do it, you betcha. And don’t forget to factor in the weight of those Conway Twitty turkey-platter-sized beltbuckles. That would make anybody’s legs bow out. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/11 "2000-02-10T19:14:00Z")
Bowlegged, chaps without pants and a Conway Twitty turkey platter belt buckle playing an accordion. The woman of my dreams! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/13 "2017-02-02T18:58:58Z")
> [@bow\_legs](#): > > maybe Genetics **Moderator Note** **bow legs** , we ask that old threads in General Questions only be revived to add new factual information. Since this does not, I’m closing it. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-southerners-so-bow-legged/6987/14 "2017-02-02T19:01:19Z")
**Moderator Action** Welcome to the SDMB, **bow legs**. I can tell from your name what kind of search brought you here. Anyway, please note that the thread you have replied to is 17 years old. In this forum, we ask that you only revive old threads like this if you have something substantial factually to add to the discussion. Since that is not the case here, I am going to put this poor zombie back in his grave. If anyone wishes to discuss this topic in a more modern context, feel free to start a new thread in the appropriate forum. Note that many of our forums did not exist when this thread was first created. Thread closed.