# Women: Sitting With Their Legs Crossed **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 2001, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088 "2001-08-13T19:30:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/21 "2001-08-15T14:25:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Redboss \* > **…ankles akimbo…** Ankles on your hips? I’m hurting just thinking about that! ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/22 "2001-08-15T15:51:21Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Redboss \* \*\* > [@](#): > > This is a subject that has never come up in The Simpsons or Seinfeld (my trusty guides to life in the USA\*\* You have to see ‘King of the Hill’. It is a hilarious (and fairly accurate) representation of life in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/23 "2001-08-15T21:55:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Redboss \* > **What world is it you people live in? Here in Australia, we men all cross our knees however we want and nobody says a word.** People in Texas are always trying to judge your manhood…_never show weakness_!! It is not like I got this question a lot - just a few times. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/24 "2001-08-15T22:04:28Z")
I just tried to cross my legs at the knees, and I mashed my testicles something fierce. Thank you **SO MUCH** for making me curious about the subject. [sub]I have to go soak in glacier water now[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![anenquiringmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anenquiringmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anenquiringmind)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/25 "2001-08-15T22:06:24Z")
Just my general opinion… In referring to the etiquette involved in women crossing their legs. “Ladies, always cross their legs at the ankles.” etc, blah blah blah. I have no resources… BUT, I"d be willing to bet this little tradition originated from the Victorian times and earlier because “good” women were not supposed to have ANY sexual feelings and a lot of women tend to masturbate by crossing their legs and applying pressure in that general area and apparently it doesnt take much to feel a tingle…“heaven forbid!” I would assume this little etiquette rule was started just to keep women from getting themselves into a predicament. You may have noticed most of the “bad women” in movies etc, tend to cross their knees and do a lot swinging and swaying with their legs… hmmmmm Whatdya think?? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/26 "2001-08-15T22:20:46Z")
I’ll cross my right knee over my left knee when I’m sitting and playing a guitar. Particularly the acoustic. I get more access to where I need to be than standing with a strap, actually. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/27 "2001-08-15T23:02:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by anenquiringmind \* > **I have no resources… BUT, I"d be willing to bet this little tradition originated from the Victorian times and earlier because “good” women were not supposed to have ANY sexual feelings > and a lot of women tend to masturbate by crossing their legs and applying pressure in that general area and apparently it doesnt take much to feel a tingle…"heaven forbid!"** I don’t know about anyone else, but I just tried it (TMI?), and I couldn’t feel anything remotely sexual. Maybe it’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/28 "2001-08-15T23:11:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > \*\*In Sydney we have double deck trains. “What’s this got to do with the OP?”, I hear you ask? > > Well, the lower deck is where all us (I mean “those”) lecherous guys sit. When the train enters a station, the lower windows are just on platform level. Sydney girls waiting on station seats learn pretty fast to keep their legs crossed, or at least close together (well most of 'em do). 😃 \*\* In Vancouver, there is a notorious kook who rides the #7 Fraser Street line. Whenever he sees a woman crossing their legs, he runs over, gets in their face, and starts yelling “Never cross your legs! 14 Children die every year from crossing their legs! The blood can’t circulate! When I was 6 years old, I was almost paralysed-- The doctor said ‘Never cross your legs!’” I used to think that his motivation was somehow sexual, but I have seen him give the same tirade to a man. He won’t stop until the person puts their feet flat on the floor, or he is subdued by other passengers. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/29 "2001-08-15T23:53:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*“A lady will only cross her ankles. It is ill-bred to cross one’s legs.” > > —Miss Emily Vanderbilt-Manners \*\* And it’s good form to spread 'em! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/30 "2001-08-16T00:00:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\*I just tried to cross my legs at the knees, and I mashed my testicles something fierce. > > Thank you **SO MUCH** for making me curious about the subject. > > [sub]I have to go soak in glacier water now[/sub] \*\* What’s with you guys, always squishing your freakin’ testicles. Pain is supposed to _teach_ you. My only problem is that they hang down into the toilet water. [sub]So that’s how you do that.[/sub] Thanks, **Cervaise,** for the laugh _and_ the lesson. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Wind\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Autumn\_Wind\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Wind_Chick)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/31 "2001-08-16T00:12:59Z")
I think it’s for reasons of modesty. My husband makes me wear very short skirts, and I’m never allowed to cross my legs. Stimulation is an interesting angle though. ---
**Author:** ![Corrvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@Corrvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corrvin)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/32 "2001-08-16T00:17:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Cervaise > I just tried to cross my legs at the knees, and I mashed my testicles something fierce. It may take some practice to do it inconspicuously, but every guy I’ve ever seen do this who wasn’t wearing boxers had a sort of “scoop and lift” hand motion immediately prior to the crossing of the legs which kept him from squishing his bits. > [@](#): > > Originally posted by anenquiringmind > I have no resources… BUT, I"d be willing to bet this little tradition originated from the Victorian times and earlier because “good” women were not supposed to have ANY sexual feelings > and a lot of women tend to masturbate by crossing their legs and applying pressure in that general area and apparently it doesnt take much to feel a tingle…“heaven forbid!” > [@](#): > > FireUnderpantsBoobs replies: I don’t know about anyone else, but I just tried it (TMI?), and I couldn’t feel anything remotely sexual. Maybe it’s just me. Er, well, not to go into TMI land, but it’s equally as much fun to put your knees tightly together and do your Kegel exercises (tightening the muscles of the pelvic floor). Course, neither is so much fun that I’d rather sit around and do that on a Friday night. Corr ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088/33 "2001-08-16T01:59:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Corrvin \* > \*\*Er, well, not to go into TMI land, but it’s equally as much fun to put your knees tightly together and do your Kegel exercises (tightening the muscles of the pelvic floor). Course, neither is so much fun that I’d rather sit around and do that on a Friday night. > Corr \*\* God Bless Mr. Kegel. I will never forget the girl that introduced us. Oooh… here comes a new thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sitting-with-their-legs-crossed/76088.md?page=1)