Sitting on the Lap...of Love.
I'm always annoyed when my roommate and her boyfriend take up the entire living space in our apartment: pots on the stove, tv blaring, they're sprawled out on the couch and laughing annoyingly loud. It's always awkward when I walk out because they will suddenly stop talking and laughing until I leave the room once more. This is especially a problem when they do this for hours on end, and I haven't eaten that day. It makes for a very hungry and grumpy Virginia--because I would rather starve than go through that awkward...situation.
So, today, my sister and I were just passing through to leave the apartment when I noticed something peculiar about the couple: she was straddling him on the couch. My eyes got wide and I wondered how to react. I typically try not to judge, but this behavior crossed a certain social line. This experience lead to a conversation with my sister about our personal histories on lap-sitting.
She had only sat on her boyfriend's lap once, and it was only a half-sit (just on the legs). I had sat awkwardly on a few boyfriend's laps, but it was always an uncomfortable experience for me.
So, now, I think about lap-sitting in general. When is it acceptable to sit on your boyfriend's lap in a public space? How should such a situation be approached? Should straddling ever be done in a space where people could be walking through?
My personal opinion: 1. There are moments when it's acceptable: when it's a very intimate setting with true friends. Never a straddle, but you could simply take a seat casually without making a big deal of it. 2. Of course, this type of situation has to do with the reactions of the people around you. So, you have to know who those people are and how comfortable they would be with you hanging out on your boyfriend's lap. Yes, other people matter in this--as long as you want to keep them as friends, you'll want them to be comfortable around you. 3. Never. No, never.
So, today, my sister and I were just passing through to leave the apartment when I noticed something peculiar about the couple: she was straddling him on the couch. My eyes got wide and I wondered how to react. I typically try not to judge, but this behavior crossed a certain social line. This experience lead to a conversation with my sister about our personal histories on lap-sitting.
She had only sat on her boyfriend's lap once, and it was only a half-sit (just on the legs). I had sat awkwardly on a few boyfriend's laps, but it was always an uncomfortable experience for me.
So, now, I think about lap-sitting in general. When is it acceptable to sit on your boyfriend's lap in a public space? How should such a situation be approached? Should straddling ever be done in a space where people could be walking through?
My personal opinion: 1. There are moments when it's acceptable: when it's a very intimate setting with true friends. Never a straddle, but you could simply take a seat casually without making a big deal of it. 2. Of course, this type of situation has to do with the reactions of the people around you. So, you have to know who those people are and how comfortable they would be with you hanging out on your boyfriend's lap. Yes, other people matter in this--as long as you want to keep them as friends, you'll want them to be comfortable around you. 3. Never. No, never.
Comments
Post a Comment