American lean

American lean is an informal term for a perceived tendency of Americans to stand with their weight on one foot or to lean against nearby objects while waiting in public.[1][2][3] The expression is often in the context of cultural stereotypes about American tourists.[2] According to a former Central Intelligence Agency chief of disguise Jonna Mendez, field assets are trained not to stand in this manner.[3][4][5]

The American lean occurs on objects such as railings, walls, doorways, or benches.[6] Other cultures tend to stand more upright and centered, particularly in narrower public spaces.[6] It is speculated that this phenomenon is associated with relaxed American body language that has been shaped by wide sidewalks, open spaces, and informal public behavior.[6] It is more noticeable in groups, and along with other stereotypes (such as speaking loudly) can be a way to identify Americans.[6][7][8] Over time, the American posture standard has relaxed.[9]

In the mid 2020s, the phenomenon gained attention on social media.[10][11]

See also

References

  1. ^ Johnson, Ben Brock; Sivertson, Amory (2024-07-26). "How to tell someone's American: They lean on things?". www.wbur.org. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  2. ^ a b "Apparently American Tourists All Stand In A Particular Way — And They Even Have A Name For It". HuffPost. 2025-11-26. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  3. ^ a b Watercutter, Angela. "How the CIA Trains Spies to Hide in Plain Sight". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  4. ^ Golder, Andy (2025-05-07). "A Non-American Asked Why The "American Lean" Is A Thing, And The Responses Are Hilarious And Sad". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  5. ^ Shiffer, Emily (2026-01-28). "The CIA says this one body language gesture is a dead giveaway you are an American". Upworthy. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  6. ^ a b c d "Why The American Lean Keeps Giving Travelers Away Abroad | Backroad Planet". 2025-12-07. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  7. ^ "Signs someone is obviously American". ABC4 Utah. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  8. ^ "10 Telltale Signs You're an American Abroad | AAA Club Alliance". cluballiance.aaa.com. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  9. ^ Yosifon, David; Stearns, Peter N. (October 1998). "The Rise and Fall of American Posture". The American Historical Review. 103 (4): 1057–1095. doi:10.1086/ahr/103.4.1057.
  10. ^ "'It's just part of our vibe': The 'American lean' is the latest thing people are roasting U.S. tourists for". dailydot.com. 2025-05-08. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  11. ^ Gatollari, Mustafa (2025-07-04). "The "American Lean" Is So Pervasive, the CIA Trains Its Agents to Un-Learn It". Distractify. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
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