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[Kinitari]

I've heard the term for a while, but I've never actually thought about it too much. What does it really mean?

As far as I understand, it's explaining something condescendingly... but where I'm lost is on the gendered nature of it. Is it implying that men do it more often, or that there are special characteristics of mansplaining that distinguish it from just regular condescending language, or am I on the wrong path with the condescending thing?

 

[The Faceless Master]

it's like whitesplaining, but for women.

 

[entremet]

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/how-to-explain-without-mansplaining-a-primer

mansplainer: A man compelled to explain or give an opinion about everything—especially to a woman. He speaks, often condescendingly, even if he doesn’t know what he’s talking about or even if it’s none of his business. Old term: a boor.

 

[Jezbollah]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mansplaining

 

[AntraxSuicide]

Condescending is accurate, but it also carries the tone of "Women just don't quite understand" with it. Like, mansplaining would be a guy using condescending language to explain something like banking to a woman, where the implication of the language is that women just don't get banking (a heavily male environment, in my experience).

 

[Henkka]

It's a way to dismiss someone's argument by pointing to their gender, essentially an ad hominem.

 

[dr3upmushroom]

it's like a dude telling women which tampons are best for them. Or you know, telling them what to do with their bodies.

 

[dralla]

It's when a man condescendingly explains things, especially regarding women's rights and social issues, to women.

 

[Kinitari]

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/how-to-explain-without-mansplaining-a-primer

mansplainer: A man compelled to explain or give an opinion about everything—especially to a woman. He speaks, often condescendingly, even if he doesn’t know what he’s talking about or even if it’s none of his business. Old term: a boor.

So it's basically when a man is explaining something condescendingly to a woman. I guess I thought there was more to it than that.

 

[Imperfected]

Is Krillin the patron saint of mansplainers?

 

[kadotsu]

I thought it was when a man paraphrases an idea of a woman and gets all the credit.

 

[Kinitari]

Condescending is accurate, but it also carries the tone of "Women just don't quite understand" with it. Like, mansplaining would be a guy using condescending language to explain something like banking to a woman, where the implication of the language is that women just don't get banking (a heavily male environment, in my experience).

it's like a dude telling women which tampons are best for them. Or you know, telling them what to do with their bodies.

It's when a man condescendingly explains things, especially regarding women's rights and social issues, to women.

Ah okay. Hrm... I guess I was just having trouble understanding what that would sound like. Yesterday I was talking to a friend and she mentioned someone mansplained something to her and I just wondered "how does someone know when someone else is mansplaining" (not outloud). I think I have a better idea

 

[Count Dookkake]

An effective ad hominem when one has no rebuttal.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

the mansplaining in this thread, very scust tbh

 

[commedieu]

Would a mechanic be a example?

 

[PumpkinSpice]

So it's basically when a man is explaining something condescendingly to a woman. I guess I thought there was more to it than that.

It's a bit more than that. For example men attempting to dominate a conversation or a meeting by interrupting women is mansplaining as well.

 

[Bronetta]

https://youtu.be/TJyQpRfaGnw

 

[Eumi]

It's one of those things that's stupid in theory but in it happens so often it's just easier to accept it. Like, gender has zero bearing on a persons argument, but a lot of men think they know better than women on women's issues which leads to them talking down to them, and it's just easier to refer to that as mansplaining than individually refute them.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

Would a mechanic be a example?

Isn't it their jobs to act like they know more than they do and try and extract as much money out of you as possible? I don't think it's limited to just female customers (everyone seems to have more wrong with their cars than they thought for some reason)

 

[PumpkinSpice]

It's one of those things that's stupid in theory but in it happens so often it's just easier to accept it. Like, gender has zero bearing on a persons argument, but a lot of men think they know better than women on women's issues which leads to them talking down to them, and it's just easier to refer to that as mansplaining than individually refute them.

Gender does have a bearing on a person's argument. I'd prefer to defer to a woman's side of an argument when it comes to womens issues. There are a lot of cases where I try not to argue or talk much at all and just listen to what women have to say.

 

[commedieu]

Isn't it their jobs to act like they know more than they do and try and extract as much money out of you as possible? I don't think it's limited to just female customers (everyone seems to have more wrong with their cars than they thought for some reason)

I've heard horror stories from women. Seems to be a thing. But citation needed.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mansplaining

That is a lot of thin skinned dudes upset that someone didn't welcome their unassailable perspective...

 

[Nesotenso]

I've heard the term for a while, but I've never actually thought about it too much. What does it really mean?

As far as I understand, it's explaining something condescendingly... but where I'm lost is on the gendered nature of it. Is it implying that men do it more often, or that there are special characteristics of mansplaining that distinguish it from just regular condescending language, or am I on the wrong path with the condescending thing?

condescending language men direct towards women. not my favorite neologism, because some people tend to use it to dismiss any rebuttal.

 

[braves01]

Its what women call it when men try to help them when they actually don't need any assistance.

 

[A Link to the Past]

The best example I can think of would be to have some random guy, uninvited, explain something to a woman who is evidently well-versed in that "something" already. ie, a male non-journalist explaining journalistic integrity to a female journalist.

Its what women call it when men try to help them when they actually don't need any assistance.

That isn't it actually. :v That's nice guying

 

[Stinkles]

Everything you need to know:

 

[Henkka]

The best example I can think of would be to have some random guy, uninvited, explain something to a woman who is evidently well-versed in that "something" already. ie, a male non-journalist explaining journalistic integrity to a female journalist.

Why do you need a gendered word for this, though? Shouldn't we be above that? The guy in this case is simply being a douche, same as a woman who condescendingly explains something to another woman.

 

[Weiss]

I once told a woman who chose to be a housewife that doing so was a betrayal and that those ideas belonged in the 50s.

I think that counts.

Why do you need a gendered word for this, though? Shouldn't we be above that? The guy in this case is simply being a douche, same as a woman who condescendingly explains something to another woman.

We need gendered words because we live in a gendered society.

 

[A Link to the Past]

Why do you need a gendered word for this, though? Shouldn't we be above that? The guy in this case is simply being a douche, same as a woman who condescendingly explains something to another woman.

Because it happens so frequently that not pointing out just how pervasive it is for men to be self-appointed experts to people who actually are experts literally asks us to ignore this behavior.

 

[Visualante2]

The best example I can think of would be to have some random guy, uninvited, explain something to a woman who is evidently well-versed in that "something" already. ie, a male non-journalist explaining journalistic integrity to a female journalist.

I think these sorts of awkward moments can happen all the time irrespective of gender. It's much more situational than that.

Its what women call it when men try to help them when they actually don't need any assistance.

I think this is much closer to the truth. There's sort of a subtler case where the man assumes that the woman would need to have it explained, and the more abrasive case where the man just continues explaining despite signals, evidence that it is unnecessary.

I think some people can fall into this if they just love to hear the sound of their own voice. In those cases it's less about gender and more about them just being an over explainer. These people are probably often mislabeled as mansplainers.

 

[siddx]

I tend to try and explain things more accurately or in different terms no matter who is involved in the conversation, largely because I'm an obnoxious self absorbed fuck who thinks he's better than everyone else. But as I understand it, mansplaining is when someone tries to either explain something specifically to a woman like she's a fucking nitwit, or tries to explain something on behalf of a woman because you think she can't do so herself in an accurate or intelligible way.

You know, because women are delicate peaches who go to flower and dolly school and could never grasp things the way us men can.

 

[Volimar]

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/how-to-explain-without-mansplaining-a-primer

mansplainer: A man compelled to explain or give an opinion about everything—especially to a woman. He speaks, often condescendingly, even if he doesn’t know what he’s talking about or even if it’s none of his business. Old term: a boor.

So like GAFfers, but instead of women, it's everyone.

 

[Subpar Scrub]

Isn't it their jobs to act like they know more than they do and try and extract as much money out of you as possible? I don't think it's limited to just female customers (everyone seems to have more wrong with their cars than they thought for some reason)

If your mechanic is shit, then yeah.

Honestly OP, mansplaining seems to be used to describe someone who's being condescending, but it's even worse because it's a guy doing it. I don't know, seems stupid to me, but I don't get any of the "splaining" stuff myself.

 

[dity]

It's a way us rightous dudemen explain a totally simple concept out of our understanding in a tubular condescending way to womens and minoritays who probablay understands it bettar but heyo I gotta have my word in dudegirls. I am all intelligent, brah!



It's something like that. I mansplained mansplaining.

 

[Tigress]

Isn't it their jobs to act like they know more than they do and try and extract as much money out of you as possible? I don't think it's limited to just female customers (everyone seems to have more wrong with their cars than they thought for some reason)

An example I heard of recently (I think on the thread here about a guy's tires falling off) was a mechanic was trying to rip off some ones wife who wasn't accepting his explanation of why she needed something. He kept arguing with her. When her husband (the poster telling this story) came to the place and said the same as his wife the mechanic accepted the argument and didn't try to contradict him.

This is sometimes why it is hard to tell some one who hasn't experienced it why some one is being condescending cause unless you have a direct comparison people just dismiss it as, " I'm sure he does that to everyone." And it's easy to pass it off that way if some one calls you out on it unless they try a gotcha maneuver.

 

[Henkka]

Because it happens so frequently that not pointing out just how pervasive it is for men to be self-appointed experts to people who actually are experts literally asks us to ignore this behavior.

The frequency of this is utterly unquantifiable, though. And when you start looking for it, you're just asking for confirmation bias to kick in.

 

[Black_Red]

So it's like explaining "offsides" to a women asumming she doesn't understand football rules?

 

[Subpar Scrub]

Because it happens so frequently that not pointing out just how pervasive it is for men to be self-appointed experts to people who actually are experts literally asks us to ignore this behavior.

Eh, when my female friends talk about cooking and art to me and I already know exactly what they're saying or going to say, I don't tell them to stop woman-splaining to me... Because that would be ridiculous. And what do you mean about pervasiveness? Do you have stats you could link me for the frequency of "mansplaining"?

 

[Baleoce]

Remember Dr Cox's conversations with JD from Scrubs? Imagine that, but if those random girl names he throws in are the people he is actually conversing with.

 

[Broken Joystick]

 

[A Link to the Past]

So it's like explaining "offsides" to a women asumming she doesn't understand football rules?

I don't think it's just the assumption (though that often is the start to it). To me, it either is:

1. Condescending to an expert on the subject about that subject, or

2. Condescending someone who is not evidently an expert on a subject, but over details that are so common sense that it is insulting to do so

 

[Markster]

Everything you need to know:

For demonstration purposes, that is a wonderful, succinct example.

She has made what is clearly a joke. However, technically, what she has said is wrong. Mansplaining is the phenomenon where, had this been said by a man, it would have been taken for a joke, and would be unlikely to see followup, but since it was said by a woman, some men see a need to educate and correct "wrong" information.

Now, this example in particular, is a funny grey zone. The man in question made the reply in jest ("um actually" being the giveaway, and he followed it up later) because it would be ironically funny to mansplain on a joke about mansplaining. But, even in this ironic use, it still qualifies, in the way that ironic racism or classism are also indefensible.

 

[Subpar Scrub]

I don't think it's just the assumption (though that often is the start to it). To me, it either is:

1. Condescending to an expert on the subject about that subject, or

2. Condescending someone who is not evidently an expert on a subject, but over details that are so common sense that it is insulting to do so

At that point it makes no sense. What possible scenario could occur so often that fits your points, especially the second one, that would make anyone think it's a common, pervasive issue in society?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Disappointed nobody posted the clip of Triumph with the college students.

Where he asks one of them what mansplaining is, a girl answers, and then he goes "I didn't understand what you were saying, maybe if a man answered it" and takes the mic to a guy in the group.

 

[partyphone]

The frequency of this is utterly unquantifiable, though. And when you start looking for it, you're just asking for confirmation bias to kick in.

more importantly we live in a patriarchy where women are considered to be inferior to men. so regardless of the frequency it is a particularly pernicious behavior.

 

[TickleMeElbow]

I always thought it was when men interject themselves into women's conversations like "well, as a man I think..."

 

[A Link to the Past]

At that point it makes no sense. What possible scenario could occur so often that fits your points, especially the second one, that would make anyone think it's a common, pervasive issue in society?

When did I say it was common? I said that it occurs so often by men over women, not that it was something that happens all the time.

Though where and when it happens varies based on the context - like you could expect someone from older generations to mansplain somewhat more so than younger people. The first guess that comes to mind would be a businessperson or a medical practitioner.

 

[Zaphrynn]

I usually hear it when a man tries to tell women about women's issues, why they're wrong, what they should actually feel, what women actually deal with etc etc. He acts like he knows more about what women deal with than the woman he talks to. Usually there is condescension and acting like the woman is a child who doesn't know better.

But yeah, this applies when a dude assumes a woman knows less about something because she is a woman, and he doesn't listen to her even if she tries to tell him she already knows. It'd be like explaining to a female mechanic how transmissions work even though you've maybe helped your uncle with his car once. Sometimes the dudes get pissy that their "help" is rejected because he's just trying to help!

I've personally never used the term before. I think it simplifies things too much. I'd more likely use it around someone who knows what it means to simplify a conversation.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Everything you need to know:

Ironically, a guy here (Solomon) is explaining something to a woman. Manspaining-ception!

 

[Subpar Scrub]

When did I say it was common? I said that it occurs so often by men over women, not that it was something that happens all the time.

Because it happens so frequently that not pointing out just how pervasive it is for men to be self-appointed experts to people who actually are experts literally asks us to ignore this behavior.

Maybe I misunderstood your point? Actually re-reading the second quote there, it makes it sound like you're referring to men who would attempt to condescendingly explain banking to a women who they know is a banker.

Were you referring to guys who try to explain things without women asking first? Because I'd agree that that particular instance is weird..