# Why must farts be treated differently from coughs and sneezes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 2, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068 "2002-08-02T19:58:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![McLeo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@McLeo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McLeo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/1 "2002-08-02T19:58:23Z")
Hi, first time poster here. I was just thinking about something one day while sitting at work. Why must farts be discriminated against from the other bodily functions? There are some things that people do all the time, and that is to cough, sneeze, and fart. All of these are normally hard to control or unable to control at all. While coughing and sneezing has the priviledge of being a thing you can do in public, why not farting? I mean, when you think about it, it’s almost the same thing really. Why must we be ridiculed and laughed at when someone farts? Doesn’t EVERYONE do it? And don’t get me started about those girls who claim they have never farted in their life. Now I have a solution. Why don’t everyone just start farting at their own free will, no matter where they’re at or who is there? If enough people started doing this, it’ll become the norm and it will finally get the respect that coughs and sneezes get. ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/2 "2002-08-02T20:05:43Z")
Ever smell a fart? ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/3 "2002-08-02T20:09:50Z")
5 bucks says **lieu** ’s here within the hour…😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/4 "2002-08-02T20:17:33Z")
Because farts come out of your butt, that’s why. ---
**Author:** ![McLeo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@McLeo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McLeo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/5 "2002-08-02T20:17:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by typhoon \* > \*\*Ever smell a fart? \*\* A fart’s smell can be tolerated much more in a sense. With sneezing and coughing they are spreading harmful bacteria and germs all over the place. Especially when they have the flu or some other form of contagious sickness. Ever had the experience of a waiter/waitress sneezing right into your plate when they are bringing you the food? Whenever someone is talking to me in a close distance and they sneeze or cough, i instinctively hold my breath for at least 10 seconds before I would start breathing again. So farts aren’t that bad. ---
**Author:** ![crazy4chaucer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@crazy4chaucer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazy4chaucer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/6 "2002-08-02T20:43:24Z")
Fart Proudly! (I do) I remember reading in _I, Claudius_ when Claudius’ physician tells him that it’s harmful for people to hold in their wind and causes untold amounts of damage. besides, farting’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/7 "2002-08-02T20:52:42Z")
Yes, farting is funny. But I’d have to agree, that it’s probably frowned upon because of the potential for smell. Of course, burping isn’t really that appreciated either, and they [generally] don’t smell. I wonder if it comes down to things we “have control” of. You can’t control a cough or a sneeze. You DO have the ability [generally] to hold in burps and farts. That doesn’t mean it’s healthy to do so, but it might help explain the difference. I for one wish it was a _little_ more accepted. I get tremendous gas bubble pain in my gut sometimes, and it’s a relief to let a bit out. HOWEVER - I also know how noxious I can be, and will generally try to spare everyone’s noses. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/8 "2002-08-02T20:58:47Z")
Besides - not all farts smell. What if you had one guy with a really nasty, hacking cough, and a guy next to him lets out a fart - but it’s odorless. Who do you think gets all the nasty looks? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/9 "2002-08-02T21:01:08Z")
You have a good point McLeo. But…would we have to start saying “God bless you” after? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/10 "2002-08-02T21:08:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by McLeo \* > \*\* Now I have a solution. Why don’t everyone just start farting at their own free will, no matter where they’re at or who is there? If enough people started doing this, it’ll become the norm and it will finally get the respect that coughs and sneezes get. \*\* The fart revolution will not be televised. Wecome to the SDMB, McLeo! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/11 "2002-08-02T21:16:53Z")
what a way to start their SDMB career - a breath of not-so-fresh air… waited to post from April - that gave it time to ripen… ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/12 "2002-08-02T23:38:20Z")
He could only ‘cork’ it for so many months I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/13 "2002-08-03T06:16:27Z")
Fart particles discussion in here: [http://www.heptune.com/farts.html](http://www.heptune.com/farts.html) ---
**Author:** ![Babar714](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Babar714](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babar714)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/14 "2002-08-03T06:37:41Z")
Just the though that that noise is being created by this person’s asshole/ass cheeks, it’s the origin that counts. If we farted out of our belly-buttons, it wouldn’t be as bad. (Babs enjoying the image of lint settling into her hair as she finishes slobbin’ my nob.) ---
**Author:** ![tigsnort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@tigsnort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tigsnort)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/15 "2002-08-03T07:44:09Z")
Smelling one’s own fart is okay, but there’s just something about smelling someone else’s. I think it’s knowing that the air particles in your nose were in someone else’s asshole seconds before. That’s kind of offensive. It’s like they’re making you smell their asshole, without asking first. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/16 "2002-08-03T07:53:46Z")
No, I have never seen a waiter sneeze on plate of food about to be served. Any waiter with a brain larger than a LeSeur pea would throw that food out and get you a new serving. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/17 "2002-08-03T07:56:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by betenoir \* > \*\*You have a good point McLeo. > > But…would we have to start saying “God bless you” after? \*\* What else? Og dress ewe? Another point is that a sneeze and a cough are both involuntary. You can hold in a fart much longer than you can either of the above. So by farting, you are making a concious effort to offend. ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-farts-be-treated-differently-from-coughs-and-sneezes/122068/18 "2002-08-03T16:48:29Z")
This story is my answer. At summer camp, this big kid named Irving would smile and lay the foulest gas. The adult in the cabin would leave. He said. I don’t want something in my nose that was up his ass.