# Why do young women put on a cushion on their lap? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 29, 2010, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917 "2010-06-29T11:47:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/1 "2010-06-29T11:47:49Z")
I’ve noticed that teenage and twenty-something women often put a cushion on their laps when sitting down. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man or an elderly woman do this. Why do they do it? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/2 "2010-06-29T11:50:30Z")
To hide their erections. I’m sorry, I haven’t a clue. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/3 "2010-06-29T11:55:36Z")
To hide their bellies. Tween/teen girls are very self-conscious about their tummies bulging out when they bend their waists to sit. Also spreading thighs is a huge concern; when you sit they spread out on the chair in an unappealing manner. There’s also the possible issue of wearing a skirt or short shorts that would be too revealing if they sat in the various contortionist positions which also become extremely important at this age. The cushion allows them to perch indian-style on a high bar stool in a mini-skirt without flashing the room. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/4 "2010-06-29T11:57:11Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > To hide their erections. > > I’m sorry, I haven’t a clue. Mornington Crescent. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/5 "2010-06-29T12:00:11Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > To hide their bellies. Tween/teen girls are very self-conscious about their tummies bulging out when they bend their waists to sit. Also spreading thighs is a huge concern; when you sit they spread out on the chair in an unappealing manner. > … I’m an elderly fat man. Do you think this would be appropriate for me? (And do they make cushions in my size?) ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/6 "2010-06-29T12:56:12Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > I’m an elderly fat man. Do you think this would be appropriate for me? (And do they make cushions in my size?) No. Elderly fat men should not wear mini-skirts after age 35. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/7 "2010-06-29T13:29:51Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > No. Elderly fat men should not wear mini-skirts after age 35. Sorry. Even after Labor Day? What if it’s to hide my erection? ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/8 "2010-06-29T13:34:26Z")
If you are an elderly fat man and still getting uncontrolled erections you need to either time the Cialis better or just let it proudly wave in the wind! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/9 "2010-06-29T13:38:50Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > Mornington Crescent. Ha! I first heard of Mornington Crescent a few years ago here. [My first thought was that it was the female equivalent of morning wood](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5929643&postcount=8). 😛 . ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/10 "2010-06-29T13:41:31Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Even after Labor Day? > > What if it’s to hide my erection? I’m not sure a mini skirt will hide an erection. Unless it’s very small. (The erection, that is.) NB I’m not speaking from personal experience. Honest. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/11 "2010-06-29T13:44:36Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Ha! I first heard of Mornington Crescent a few years ago here. [My first thought was that it was the female equivalent of morning wood](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5929643&postcount=8). 😛 Only on the Straight Dope could someone find a link from Mornington Crescent to sexual arousal. (Without going via Belsize Park first.) ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/12 "2010-06-29T13:44:41Z")
Was there a dog in the room? > [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > If you are an elderly fat man and still getting uncontrolled erections you need to either time the Cialis better or just let it proudly wave in the wind! [_“Diplomatic immunity.”_](http://brianorndorf.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54ee7b6428833011570d51d59970c-400wi) ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/13 "2010-06-29T13:51:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Ha! I first heard of Mornington Crescent a few years ago here. [My first thought was that it was the female equivalent of morning wood](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5929643&postcount=8). 😛 > . Me too, especially in the context above. Was thiiis close to making a mental note for future use when your post saved me. So it doesn’t mean that. I’m disappointed, and don’t really care to know what it actually does mean now. FYI, morning wood in Japanese is 朝立(_asa-dachi_), which, in addition to more prosaic meanings, also literally brings together the kanji for “morning” and “stand.” Who knows, it might come up (rimshot!) in a pub contest or somet. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/14 "2010-06-29T13:53:16Z")
For some of them it’s just something to have in their hands and play with it nervously in a way that’s relatively discreet. Once they relax, they just plop it at their side. ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/15 "2010-06-29T14:03:52Z")
I still do so, sometimes (and it’s been a bit since I was a teen). Usually, it’s either to just get them out of the way of my seat if I’m at someone’s home, or because I’m cold in that seat. If a person has some decorative pillows on their couch, and the couch is near or under an A/C vent, chances are high that I’ll have that pillow on my lap upon sitting down. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/16 "2010-06-29T14:07:53Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > If you are an elderly fat man and still getting uncontrolled erections you need to either time the Cialis better or just let it proudly wave in the wind! “I’m telling everybody!” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/17 "2010-06-29T14:08:57Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Lp0-8Ibkczc/maxresdefault.jpg "Cushion Rage | Coupling | BBC Studios") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp0-8Ibkczc) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/18 "2010-06-29T14:19:47Z")
I sometimes do it, but usually it’s just because I like something to cuddle with. It’s definitely nothing to do with a bulgy tummy because my tummy is very tiny. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/19 "2010-06-29T14:22:46Z")
What the hell are you people talking about? People put cushions on their laps? Hiding bellies? _What_? So people are just carrying around cushions with them? Like on the bus? At work? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917/20 "2010-06-29T14:25:59Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I sometimes do it, but usually it’s just because I like something to cuddle with. If you need something to cuddle with, check under my skirt. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-young-women-put-on-a-cushion-on-their-lap/544917.md?page=2)