'I had to deal with manspreader on my flight - my reaction left people outraged'

A female air passenger has hit back at her online critics after she suffered a backlash over comments she made about 'manspreading'.

Defined as "the practice whereby a man, especially one travelling on public transport, adopts a sitting position with his legs wide apart, in such a way as to encroach on an adjacent seat or seats", Georgina Cook (@awomancalledgeorge) took to to detail her ordeal.

She had previously shared a snap to , where she uploaded a snap of what she described as "effectively what it’s like being a woman". The knee of a male traveller could clearly be seen invading her space, prompting her to add: "This guy on my this morning, chose (without asking) to occupy one-third of my space. No conversation beforehand, just sat down, straight into the man-spread. What did I do? Nothing."

Georgina said she "made herself even smaller", adding why she didn't take action at the time. "This is the day-to-day lived experience of women: making themselves 'less', fitting in, not making a fuss," she wrote. "And this scene plays out in business too: feeling obliged to dumb-down, to be compliant, to not challenge unfairness or inequality."

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Scores of LinkedIn users responded, suggesting the problem wasn't necessarily down to gender. "He’s inconsiderate for sure," one woman said. "But it’s not always a gender issue. I’ve seen men manspreading over other men, and I’ve had women dig their elbows into my space. Sit there and say nothing and they’ll do nothing. Politely ask them to move they generally will."

Whilst a male user of the platform penned: "This isn't about being a woman. It's about allowing him to do it by not speaking up. Women aren't victims and this narrative is false and frankly, boring."

After digesting the comments section of her post, Georgina said the reaction in effect, proved her point. "Those opinions fell into several core themes - most of which went a long way to actually proving my original point (whether they realised it or not)," she penned in the caption.

And speaking to her 87,000 followers in a video, she went on: "You'd have thought I'd said something absolutely horrendous by the comments that I got to that post," she explained. "It was by far the most engaged with post that I'd had on LinkedIn. I've taken some time to read through those comments because for me sharing my experience is very much about receiving feedback and learning about other people's experiences"

Georgina said she was met some "real themes that stood out", which she wanted to discuss further. Simply moving the man's leg away felt "too aggressive" for her to carry out, she said in response to several similar suggestions. "Women are often threatened by men, sometimes with fatal consequences," she aired.

And addressing why she didn't say anything to the man, Georgina explained she "didn't feel comfortable" with that option either. "I felt intimidated by the way he was sitting," she confessed. "I don't know how he's going to react. We know its not all men, but it might be that man - we just don't know."

Georgina then shut down suggestions the man may have been at fault due to his height - something she said simply wasn't the case. And even if he had, she outlined: "That's a problem for him. It shouldn't be a problem for me."

She closed: "For those suggesting I was wrong for shying away and avoiding confrontation, maybe just pause for a moment - that is actually how I felt - I did not want confrontation and so I backed away. And whether you like it or not, that is very much my experience."

Reactive in a more positive manner than LinkedIn users, TikTok users praised Georgina for speaking out. "This is an articulate and accurate blow by blow description of an experience women have in many different circumstances," one person commented. "The exposition of the reasons for the choices we make as she posits as to why, also brilliant."

A second agreed: "You were the better person on this. I love your rant as you are so right and I fully accept your frustrations which I also share. Good on you." Whilst a third pondered: "I so agree with you. Why should it be on me to push back. Why can’t men behave politely in the first place? When will they take responsibility?"