Feminists Lash Out at 'Manspreading' in Social Distance Poster

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Warnings by the İstanbul Courthouse and the Ministry of Health to remind people to maintain social distance have drawn reactions from feminists.

The poster hung on the walls in the courthouse shows two men and one woman figures on a bench. While the men are depicted spreading their legs while the woman sits normally.

The Federation of Women's Associations mentioned Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül in a tweet, saying that those who prepared the posters should be given "basic gender equality" training and the posters should be removed.

"It is obvious that when the one who drew it and the one who approved it to be hung think of a woman, they think of a shy, uneasy and nervous person when she is together with men," said a social media account named "Feminist attorneys."

Later in the day, in posted another image showing a worker collecting the posters: "That's it. They had to collect them."

Budur...Toplamak zorunda kaldılar. #ErkeklerYeriniBilecek#BacağınıDaAfişiniDeTopla https://t.co/X5v0ZfNq7P pic.twitter.com/qw4nH5EM7n

— feminist avukatlar (@feministavukatt) June 9, 2020

The Health Ministry has also received criticism for a tweet it posted. The poster reminds people to maintain a one-and-a-half meters distance while walking. Some social media users criticized it because the man figure was walking at the front and the woman was at the back.

(EMK/VK)