by Christos Zabounis

All psychologists agree. Crossed legs indicate uncertainty and a mood of creating certainty. On the occasion of Women’s Day, I would like to travel to a time when Princess Diana, a role model for millions of women, had her legs crossed to the side. While leafing through the Sunday press, a photograph of the President of the Hellenic Republic chatting with the director of “Vima” newspaper while sitting cross-legged did not escape my attention. Her right raised leg was pointed towards the lens and not towards her desk, a subconscious posture of the end of her term. In addition to the above recent example, there are many others, mainly from officials, that confirm the prevalence of this modern seat. I choose the word modern because, until a few decades ago, crossing your legs was considered rude. One only has to observe the way the previous generation sat in classic Greek films of the 1960s. Today, the old-fashioned behavior survives in church and courtrooms, with police officers being tasked, in the latter case, with reprimanding offenders. Crossing your legs is also discouraged by hiring specialists in job interviews. As for everyday life, the laisser-aller view has probably prevailed, although some young people continue to avoid crossing their legs when sitting with elderly or important people. Be careful! There are countries, such as Japan and several Arab countries, where crossing your legs is considered downright disrespectful. The reason? When you show the soles of your shoes to others, after they’ve been dirty from walking, it’s offensive.