r/asktransgender • u/FX114 • 2d ago

Problems with "man"-spreading

I find it hard to keep my legs closed, and it sometimes makes me dysphoric. I don't know if it's something about my hips, my thick thighs, or the fact that I don't tuck, but it's genuinely uncomfortable to not sit with my legs in their natural, splayed position, and I know it doesn't look feminine at all. Plus, it's actually inconvenient in certain situations.

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u/AJbear1224 2d ago

I think a lot of it may originate from expectations of how a particular gender is expected to sit, and how that strengthens certain leg muscles over time. If you grow up always keeping your legs together, your adductor muscles with be stronger. If you are more used to splayed legs, your abductor muscles will be stronger. Learning to switch to a less common sitting position may require some getting used to until the related muscles adapt.

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u/j_willemina 1d ago

This is very very true. Add some hip adductor stretches into your day and it gets easier. Even just doing it a few times has made it way easier (even tho it's still a little awkward)