ira,

is that millimeters?

j'espere!

'Splains a lot about my love affair with France

St Cirq - good thing we cleared up the misconception many had until recently about you being male!

Indeed it is!

- Ankle on the knee is always going to be preferred by those with extra abdomen, not extra endowment ...

- Since a good share of American men are European, I don't imagine leg crossing has a genetic component.

- We've probably all heard that in many cultures (Arab, some Asian among others) "showing the bottom of your foot" to another person is considered extremely rude, on a par with a middle finger. Indeed, why should others want to look at what's stuck to the bottom of anyone's shoe?

- the only crossing method I ever identified as partidularly feminine is the "ankles crossed and feet tucked discreetly under your chair" style, as no doubt taught by many a girls' boarding school. I'm so in touch with my inner feminine side that I avoid that pose. Although sometimes it comes in handy, it is also tricky with size 13s. And no, that's not an advertisement ... though we all know the corollary is true: big feet, big shoes.

so it's only the belly of American men that's endowed

Leely, LOL.

I can cross my legs.

Anselm

Anselm,

Kidding, of course, of course; just thought this very silly post deserved more absurd replies. When is your next trip to France? I'm looking forward to the report.

I had a feminist sociology professor who taught us that women cross their legs, tuck their legs, etc. to take up less space, as their historic status in society required. I think she was absolutely right.

P.S. Other "tests" of masculinity vs. femininity: Look at your hand. Did you make a fist and turn it so your fingers were pointing toward you or did you hold your palm flat and towards the ground (and if there was curvature, that's tres femmy)? Carry your school books. Did you carry them at your side or cradled against your torso?

If these sound very adolescent, it's because I remember them from jr. high school. I must have been traumatized somehow...

Land o' Goshen, this board and its denizens are a never ending source of information and inspiration. I just may have found the topic for my doctoral dissertation! Of course, loads of data will be required to validate the instrument... ;-)

Leely, my friend, I thought your post was hilarious. I just had this vision of a whole bunch of Canadian men sitting around saying "OK, let's try this again ..."

Next trip is Christmas, unless I get crazy and go to see our daughter in Copenhagen this fall, in which case I'll spend a few days in France.

Anselm

<just thought this very silly post deserved more absurd replies>

is it any sillier than thousands of other posts like what to wear not to be seen as an American - white sneakers, etc. Folks trying to blend in may want to know such crucial things that may give you away - much as one poster said the Nazis detected Americans by the way they crossed their legs.

Sometimes a silly post is just plain fun and this one rates right up there.

Hint: Women cross there legs with the bottom of one knee on the top of the other or with ankles crossed and feet tucked under the chair for a very pratical reason - so we don't show our underwear to the world when wearing dresses. It wasn't that long ago that women and girls only wore dresses.

I am still laughing at Ira's response, "There's stuff that gets squashed." Too funny. If anyone had given me just the statement, told me it was made by Ira and didn't tell me the topic I would have assumed he was talking about packing his suitcase. Funny, funny, funny. Thanks for the morning laugh.

Regarding size, maybe it was the less endowed Europeans who migrated to America. Natural selection. Or maybe it's the hormones in the beef.

I think its more to do with sitting at table. European style takes up less space, which probably has implicatations on why Americans can't use a knife and fork properly (duck)

European men wear briefs.
American men wear boxers.

I'm just glad they're wearing something.

Mais non, American men wear briefs and boxers, if what is sold in the stores is any indication.

Gary, regarding size (!) being the melting pot we are, we have the full range, for sure. I do remember an article from years ago that cited a study which found Swedes to have the largest average endowment among European nations.

Still, the leg crossing style is likely cultural. Which brings us to wonder if the traditionally "macho" nations cross legs ala Europe or ala America. With American men, is it an attempt to "appear" masculine, or is it natural? Does choosing overtly "masculine" poses and postures constitute a representation of the person's true nature, or is it a means of compensating for "shortcomings?"

As with a sports car, horsepower is great, but finesse and handling are also important. And good brakes.

>I had a feminist sociology professor who taught us that women cross their legs, tuck their legs, etc. to take up less space, as their historic status in society required. <

I think that it might have more to do with physiology.