For all those who have wondered why mansplaining is even a thing

[FastidiaBlueberry]

I think this article explains quite well, the concept of mansplaining and why it's so bloody irritating.

It's often said that it's "explaining something while being a man". Not quite.

Happy reading.

www.motherjones.com/media/2012/08/problem-men-explaining-things-rebecca-solnit

"If someone asked for a thread to be kept women-only, I would respect it, but I think it would be a pity. Given that the consensus in here is that mansplaining is at best a misnomer, and at work sexist stereotyping, what would you hope to gain from such a thread?"

I still haven't has time to read this thread yet, sorry. But I find blessed relief in not having to listen to mansplaining when it is made possible by women-only spaces, since patriarchal prejudice, backed up by the weight of volumes of patriarchal prejudice, amassed over eons of patriarchy is quite stifling and exhausting to contend with. You have to keep going back to square one with each individual armed with only the truth on your side - its a David and Golliath battle, over and over again - and that's what I mean about it being time and energy wasting- especially when we're talking in a forum about feminism and women's rights.

Also, it is a bit of a joke when men complain of sexism - a bit like white people complaining about racism

'But I find blessed relief in not having to listen to mansplaining when it is made possible by women-only spaces, since patriarchal prejudice, backed up by the weight of volumes of patriarchal prejudice, amassed over eons of patriarchy is quite stifling and exhausting to contend with. You have to keep going back to square one with each individual armed with only the truth on your side - its a David and Golliath battle, over and over again - and that's what I mean about it being time and energy wasting- especially when we're talking in a forum about feminism and women's rights.'

I call this radibabble. What does it actually mean.

As I said, FoodUnit, I would respect the thread if it is what you want. I love your bit about 'armed only with the truth', though. Given that a lot of women and men share similar viewpoints on here, and that they don't necessarily tie in with your 'truth', I am not sure you will conserve much energy .

And the usual suspects chipping in with the mutual butt-kissing and saying 'it does happen, you know!', isn't adding anything. I think it has been acknowledged that this phenomenon happens with both men and women. Several women on here have admitted to doing as much, and I am sure I do too.

I call this radibabble. What does it actually mean.

Don't let it concern you if you don't get what it means. Just take it as an indication that you aren't the intended audience for the comment.

a lot of women and men share similar viewpoints on here

Yeah yeah yeah....

Don't let it concern you if you don't get what it means. Just take it as an indication that you aren't the intended audience for the comment.

J-u-u-u-s-t like a man

I lied, I get what it means. I didn't agree with it.

On a public forum, anyone, whether the intended audience or not, can comment on posts, even here in FWC.

I just womansplained there. Or did I? Do we have the same privilege? It's hard to tell.

You have to keep going back to square one with each individual armed with only the truth on your side

echoes of "Sword of truth"

I call this radibabble. What does it actually mean

You just don't know because the patriarchy has brainwashed you and your thoughts are not your own :o

I think what is meant is spaces where people don't have different opinions to the truth.

It actually fits your definition of Radsplaining rather well.....

namechangeguy, a women can't mansplain to a man or a woman.

A woman can be patronising. Or she can whitesplain or straightsplain. She can't mansplain (or the female equivalent thereof) though cos we live in a male dominated society.

There is a power dynamic to mansplaining. As people have already said on the thread, mansplaining is acting (male) entitled and (male) privileged whilst being patronising and oblivious to the pomposity/inappropriateness of one's splaining.

Beachcomber Wed 29-Aug-12 10:55:33
A woman can be patronising.

Says nothing, very carefylly.

Or she can whitesplain or straightsplain.

or quite often cisplain, for that matter.

(Reading back through thread now)

KRITIQ
"I think folks are missing the point of what "mansplaining" means. There are equivalents related to racial privilege, straight privilege, class privilege, cis privilege, etc. as well. Basically it's where someone from a more privileged group undermines the experience or comments from someone in a less privileged group - basically "teaching granny to suck eggs." And yes, it's real. See it all the time on here, for example.

It's where a woman talks about the barriers she's had in her career due to gender discrimination and a man tries "splain" why her experience is bullshit - anything from, "you probably didn't have the aptitude of the men," to "most women don't want to put in the time and effort to get the promotion," or similar.

It's where a person of colour talks about being harassed by the police and a white person chimes in about the time a cop was a bit rude to him when he was caught speeding, or that it's probably just a coincidence and nothing do with racism, etc.

It's when a disabled person describes the negative impact of service cuts on them and how it's going to be impossible for them to keep their job and a non-disabled person "helpfully" suggests a whole list of different jobs they could probably do instead.

It's when a working class person describes how hard it is to make ends meet with their hours cut at work and everything costing more and a more privileged class person starts talking about how awful they had it when they were broke for a while at uni and had to eat beans on toast for a week.

And yes, someone of the same group can "splain" to others, particularly where they've "played the game" and think they are in a more advantageous position than the person they are talking to. Perhaps it helps them feel better about themselves if they can talk down to someone or maybe it's that they want to distance themselves as much as possible from the "undesirable identity" that they no longer want to occupy. Wevs.

Either you get the concept or you don't. Folks who like to splain generally don't get it, or make a big deal out of insisting that they don't get it (when they choose not to.) Methinks there could be quite a few such folk round these parts at the moment, sadly."

Bra -f*cking-VO!

WRT the word - I think it is appropriate to speak of 'mansplaining' in a feminist context and you could quite appropriately have 'whitesplaining' in the context of racism, etc.

I do think men tend to dominate in mixed conversation, tend to be listened to more etc - it's not necessarily that they are boorish or 'mansplaining' as described here, they are just accorded/expect more respect. Which I think is historic as men have traditionally been more public figures.

To give an example, I had the experience recently spending a weekend at my uncle's where I realised that in three days I had hardly been able to get a word in edgeways between my DH and my uncle showing off their expertise about whatever the conversation topic was. It's the same in meetings sometimes, you say something and no-one listens, then it is repeated a few minutes later by a man and suddenly it's a genius idea. It's nothing to do with gendered topics necessarily, it's just a gendered social interaction. In my humble opinion.

A woman can be patronising. Or she can whitesplain or straightsplain. She can't mansplain (or the female equivalent thereof) though cos we live in a male dominated society

I think its time for MandyRiceDaviessplaining - "well you would say that, wouldn't you" :o

Sorry Beachcomber X posted and didn't see you say this already: A woman can be patronising. Or she can whitesplain or straightsplain. She can't mansplain (or the female equivalent thereof) though cos we live in a male dominated society.

And as far as 'cis-splain' - just don't even go there OneMoreChap

My FIL mansplained the difference between acrylic and glycerol paint to me the other day.

My mouth just kind of hung open as he splained that you need to dilute one with water and the other with white spirit.

I have just spent two years completely gutting and renovating an old house - I can plaster walls, make render, fit kitchens, do electrics, and, um, paint.

summerflower "they are just accorded/expect more respect"

I agree that it works on both the listener and the speaker - the entitlement to have opinions respected, but I would say your DH and uncle were (by not challenging their own entitlement) being rude.

Yeah, summerflower, that's exactly the sort of thing - when a man repeats something a woman already said and everyone applauds his genius.

S'okay FoodUnit - it merits repeating.

'Cissplaing' takes far too many mental contortions with reality for my ladybrain to compute I'm afraid OneMoreChap.

I think the ultimate irony is actually demonstrated by this thread: mansplaining being mansplained to women.

Actually Patronising sums it up perfectly, at root being the concept of the Patron - the boss, the one with power, the one used to getting their way, the one whose jokes are always funny.

In days of yore it was nearly all men, and men still predominate - but I'd argue there are increasingly patronising women as more reach positions of power and influence. I've seen exactly the same effect with women in corporate life, and politics

IMO "splaining" is just naff. And over-American.

But I wonder why "patronising" is no longer acceptable - possibly because its increasingly clear women do it too, so a new man-only word is required by our Radfem Truth-seekers?