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Re: Gender Studies I
The formal definition is that it's explaining in a way that is patronizing, but I don't think that captures it exactly, particularly for someone resistant to the concept.
I'll give it a shot. Note: you asked, so I'm not (at least intentionally) patronizing you.
Let's say you and I disagree on something. I try to remedy this disagreement not by stating my supporting argument but by reiterating my opinion and explaining each of the terms. Mansplaining is the rhetorical equivalent of trying to communicate with somebody who speaks Chinese by still speaking English to them only slowly and more loudly. It misses the point and the assumptions that underlie the behavior are ignorant and kinda offensive. The fact that it's unconscious and the speaker doesn't intend to be an as-s, and would probably be mortified if he realized what he was doing, make it that much more depressing.
If you have doubts whether this is an empirically observed phenomenon, ask any woman. Particularly women who are more accomplished, but all women to some extent, have to navigate this. It's just another male behavior (constant sexual objectification sheesh give it a rest buddy I'm not interested, having their fragile egos threatened by a confident and decisive woman and getting called and treated as a b-tch for it, etc) that makes women's lives more difficult than ours -- Ginger having to dance in high heels backwards.
Originally posted by MinnesotaNorthStar
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I'll give it a shot. Note: you asked, so I'm not (at least intentionally) patronizing you.
Let's say you and I disagree on something. I try to remedy this disagreement not by stating my supporting argument but by reiterating my opinion and explaining each of the terms. Mansplaining is the rhetorical equivalent of trying to communicate with somebody who speaks Chinese by still speaking English to them only slowly and more loudly. It misses the point and the assumptions that underlie the behavior are ignorant and kinda offensive. The fact that it's unconscious and the speaker doesn't intend to be an as-s, and would probably be mortified if he realized what he was doing, make it that much more depressing.
If you have doubts whether this is an empirically observed phenomenon, ask any woman. Particularly women who are more accomplished, but all women to some extent, have to navigate this. It's just another male behavior (constant sexual objectification sheesh give it a rest buddy I'm not interested, having their fragile egos threatened by a confident and decisive woman and getting called and treated as a b-tch for it, etc) that makes women's lives more difficult than ours -- Ginger having to dance in high heels backwards.
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