# Why do some women hold their cell phones top-to-bottom? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816 "2009-01-11T18:43:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/1 "2009-01-11T18:43:13Z")
In recent months, I’ve noticed that when many younger (teens and 20s) women use their cell phones, they grip them holding the top and bottom of the phone, rather than the sides. My question: why do some women – and it’s mostly women I’ve seen do this – cup their phones like this? ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/2 "2009-01-12T07:09:47Z")
What? Nobody? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/3 "2009-01-12T07:11:43Z")
Yeah, nobody. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/4 "2009-01-12T08:09:51Z")
Why do teenagers do anything? Because they’re weirdos. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/5 "2009-01-12T08:21:34Z")
Somebody probably holds their phone like that in a music video… ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/6 "2009-01-12T12:45:28Z")
To show off painted nails? To avoid sweaty palms, when talking for a long time? Seems silly though… ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/7 "2009-01-12T13:04:27Z")
I don’t do this (and I’m not a teenager nor a woman), but could certainly imagine doing so. My phone has volume controls on the side, and if I’m not careful, my fingers could also tap the disconnect button or smudge my screen. A grip at the top and bottom, on the other hand, avoids all of that. A phone with a “landscape” mode screen might also encourage the grip-- if they hold the phone lengthwise side-to-side to dial a number or text someone, then bring the phone up to their ear without changing their grip, it’d look like they’re holding it top-to-bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/8 "2009-01-12T15:00:38Z")
I’d also hypothesize that young women who have fancy nails will have said talons pointing toward their faces if they hold the phone the regular way. I’m making this guess based on having seen a temp try to dial a phone with her super long nails. She tended to do a lot of tasks in a way that allowed her to keep her hand relatively flat so she wouldn’t either break a nail or impale herself. ---
**Author:** ![SeanArenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeanArenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeanArenas)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/9 "2009-01-12T15:29:58Z")
On the back of my phone is a sticker that, before the words were rubbed off, said that the antenna is behind it and not to touch that area during a call for best reception. I notice women read manuals and help text (and ask for directions) more than men. Maybe they read the text on their phones telling them where not to touch, and they aren’t. Maybe you should look at your phone more closely, see if there are certain places you shouldn’t be touching it? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/10 "2009-01-13T01:38:28Z")
I’m guessing it’s a touch screen phone. I had one that would hang up the call if I wore earrings; I think they’re just trying to keep from interfering with all the magic buttons, virtual and otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/11 "2009-01-13T01:44:32Z")
Because they forgot to charge their Blue Tooth ear pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-women-hold-their-cell-phones-top-to-bottom/480816/12 "2009-01-13T02:38:16Z")
> [@Dr.Woo](#): > > I’m guessing it’s a touch screen phone. I had one that would hang up the call if I wore earrings; I think they’re just trying to keep from interfering with all the magic buttons, virtual and otherwise. [Random iPhone pitch] This is one of the things I love about the iPhone. Since it doesn’t sense touch based on pressure, it’s practically impossible to hit buttons you don’t want to hit except with your fingers—it just won’t detect things like earrings. [/Random iPhone pitch] Valete, Vox Imperatoris