Title: Where did the term 'sitting Indian style' come from? Is it as offensive as it sounds? And did people not sit cross-legged before this term? - Quora
Headings: 
Where did the term "sitting Indian style" come from? Is it as offensive as it sounds? And did people not sit cross-legged before this term?
Anonymous

Content: Men, on the other hand, were supposed to be assertive and dominant. And while sexual aggression wasn’t absolutely required - at least a veneer of respect for one’s wife was encouraged - discreet sexual adventurism with “loose” women was generally dismissed as “boys will be boys”. After all, one’s wife wasn’t supposed to be a sexual being. You had to get your kicks somewhere. There very well may be some structural differences in men’s versus women’s hips that, on average, make the cross-legged versus splayed posture more comfortable for one group or the other. But think about elbows. Women are encouraged to keep their elbows tight to their side, when sitting and walking as well, and to sit up as straight as possible with their hands folded in their laps or at least in front of them on the table. In contrast, how many men have you seen sticking their elbows out everywhere, waving their hands around, leaning their arms against the chair next to them? At its root, it’s all about taking up space and declaring your presence. Men were supposed to, and women weren’t.