Mansplaining

[FastidiaBlueberry]

I have just come across this article, apparently it was what originally led to the term "mansplaining".

It is just so well-described that I felt I had to share it.

Happy reading.



www.guernicamag.com/daily/rebecca-solnit-men-explain-things-to-me/

[ecclesvet]

"the intersection between overconfidence and cluelessness"

Hah, perfect!

There are always some men who cannot bear to not be an expert at whatever the conversation happens to be about. Some women too, especially mothers I've noticed.

[BertieBotts]

Oh, I've read this before, it's excellent

[LRDtheFeministDude]

I remember reading this article - and someone on here linked to it.

It strikes a chord for me as today I've been out to a meeting at which a lovely bloke, who seemed entirely nice and well-meaning, did exactly this sort of thing. He theorized about something I happen to know more about than him because I've been working on it for a bit more than twice as long as he has.

It fascinates me that (some. most?) men are socialized not to ask the polite question '... do you know about this?' or '... is this your book' (in the case of the women in the article). We are socialized that way. But they're also not socialized to realize that when they've been talking about their exciting new work, or their exciting experience, it is polite to ask what we have been doing or to see if we've got anything to contribute to the conversation, other than replies to them.

The bloke I spoke to talked to me very animatedly about how he's researching this particular area, and it's a fascinating area often dominated by women's studies research (I know this ), and it's based in such-and-such a historical context (it isn't: I know this because I work on that historical context and he doesn't).

Yet when I said this, quite tenatively, the response wasn't 'ah, you might have a point', it was 'you won't know this'. Because I, being four/five years ahead, couldn't possible know his area of expertise. In fact I'm not sure he'd taken on board I was five years further on than him, because he assumed he knew it all.

Sorry, I am a bit bitter but it feels like a tiny, minor, but irritating similar example to the article you linked! I will note that this guy assumed my DH (who is at the same stage as him) was knowledgeable and an authority ... so I do think it was gendered.

[namechangeguy]

No, no, NO! Jeez, don't you lot understand anything?

If it is any consolation (and it might not be), we do this to each other all the f**ing time too. It's just one of our loveable quirks

[Leithlurker]

You see people with disabilities have much the same thing happen to them, god forbid if we are out with someone that we should be the one to be addressed or spoken to in long words or about things that we may have actualy more knowledge of. Even on our own we are often treated like children with out the ability to make complicated logical links, or have a discussion on work that we have been involved in as it will obviously be much less value than other people.

I have found though that women are as bad as men when it comes to this so mans planning seems in this respect at least not just a male thing.

[Sausageeggbacon]

Personally the Unisplaining people drive me nuts. Just because I didn't go to university doesn't mean I don't have a brain. This is a sexless problems just assuming that because you have a degree in archaeology you know more about astronomy as an example.

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

Privilegesplaining, then?