photo by CTB in DC
“Dear PoPville,
I’m wondering if you might be inclined to revisit this conversation.
Specifically, I think my question is: Have you (“you” meaning “reader”) given up your seat on metro recently?
I ask primarily because I am currently 34 weeks pregnant + a regular metro rider (my office requires two in-person days / week so I ride metro at least four times / week). Personally, I’ve had the same experience your 2016 reader had: I’ve been offered a seat on metro exactly twice during my pregnancy, both times by someone I perceived to be a young woman.
Notably: My answer to my own question is yes. Before I was pregnant (though admittedly not since), I have given up my seat to moms surrounded by kiddos, older people carrying lots of stuff, and people who (in my opinion) seemed to have mobility issues. I’m bad at articulating intent so rather than ask “do you want this seat?” I usually make eye contact, nod, and get up.
So much has changed since 2016 and I’m wondering if the way we think about this particular behavior has changed as well.“