It’s common knowledge that being pregnant can be pretty uncomfortable, but not everything thinks that means pregnant women should be entitled to sit down whenever they want.

One man turned to Reddit after encountering a pregnant woman on a bus. He shared that he works 10-hour days, standing the whole time, and “I genuinely cherish the time I spend sitting on the bus ride home, knowing I have to walk another 15-20 minutes to my house from the bus stop. Which means more time on my feet.” He also explained that due to COVID-19 there aren’t very many places to sit on public buses right now.

On his way home from work, a pregnant woman got on the bus, looked around and discovered that there weren’t any seats available. Because this man was the closest passenger to where she was standing, she turned to him and “starts giving me the imploring eyes.” In response, he “tried to pretend I couldn’t see her.”

Then she started talking to him and asked him for his bus seat. He refused. They definitely didn’t see eye to eye on who should have the bus seat.

“She started crying about how she’s a pregnant single mom, and I told her I’m sorry, but that was her personal choice and she can’t expect other people to accommodate her life choices. We live in a state where birth control and abortions are free, so I don’t know why this should be my problem. It’s not my fault she decided to have a baby when she can’t afford a car.”

Eventually, an old man came forward to offer his bus seat but not before he complained about millennials. While he got up to give the pregnant woman his seat, “the bus driver had to slam the brakes for whatever reason, and the pregnant lady and the old man both fell. They started yelling at me, calling me all sorts of nasty names, but I just looked the other way and ignored it.”

When he got home, he recounted the story to his sister who told their parents. They clearly think he should’ve given up his seat for the pregnant woman, but he still thinks he was in the right.

“I don’t know why we need to keep perpetuating the idea that breeding somehow means your entitled to people’s seats. I’m tired, too, we’re all tired in this pandemic.”

Reddit users weighed in, and the answer about whether or not he should’ve given up his seat to the pregnant lady is clearly mixed. Some people think he was in the right. For example, one Reddit user wrote, “To be fair he was obviously not the only person on that bus so I don’t see why the woman couldn’t ask someone else after he refused. I used to ride the train a lot, utterly full like a sardine can and if one person refused or ignored you you could easily ask another. Also, yeah having to stand for 10 hours will have you tired and who knows if OP doesn’t have some other medical issue that has him prefer to sit after his day at work.”

Another comment reads, “Sorry, but just cause she got knocked up doesn’t mean the world needs to cater to her. Should he have moved? Maybe, but that is a personal choice based on personal values. It should not just be expected.”

Many other Reddit users feel that he should’ve given up his seat for the pregnant lady since pregnancy not only impacts how tired you are and how tired your feet feel, but it also impacts your balance and makes you more likely to fall, like she did when the bus driver slammed on the brakes. One Reddit user explained, “The elderly man and pregnant lady could have gotten reslly hurt all because you decided not to be a decent person and give up your seat to someone who needed it a lot more than you. The elderly man could have gotten very hurt and the mother could have….I don’t know….LOST HER CHILD??? The way you’re talking and acting about the entire situation is ridiculous. You should be entirely ashamed of yourself.”

In another comment, a Reddit user wrote, “Did you know that being heavily pregnant really alters your balance, let alone the tired thing? No – you didn’t ask her to be pregnant, but you can, as an able-bodied otherwise healthy person just choose to be nice.”

Do you think this Reddit user should’ve given up his bus seat for the pregnant woman? Have you ever given up your seat for someone who is pregnant?