Save Us from the Mansplaining
Mansplaining is alive and well and can be seen everywhere, from the driving range to X (formerly Twitter). Every woman has endured mansplaining at some point. It’s as if these men just can’t help themselves or restrain their mouths. The portmanteau describes the act of a man’s unsolicited explaining, generally to a woman, something he thinks he knows more about than she does — occasionally at anesthetizing length — whether he knows anything or not.
Mansplaining reveals itself in many forms. For example, instead of admitting that he doesn’t know something or asking a person to elaborate, the mansplainer will continue discussing a topic he has no business explaining. He will continue to insert his inaccurate knowledge into the conversation with extreme confidence instead of backing down and admitting he doesn’t know about the topic. It can also be when a man explains something to a woman that she already knows or of which she has expert knowledge.
Before someone comes into the comments to tell me that mansplaining isn’t real, I’d like you all to consider the interaction that professional golfer and certified PGA instructor had at the driving range. Georgia Ball was recording herself at a driving range when she received some unsolicited advice from another golfer, who was a man. He criticized her form and told her how she could improve her game. He talks over her explanation of her technique and then takes credit for her “improved” swing.
There is also the now-famous tweet from NASA scientist Jessica McCarty:
Yes. This guy in the audience explained her own research to her.
Women encounter mansplaining every day, and it is rampant in the workplace. Whether it’s a white-shoe law firm, an investment bank, a tech startup, or a carpet cleaning company, chances are that there’s an existing Bro Culture that dictates workplace norms and etiquette. Mansplaining is rooted in that culture and is predicated upon the belief that women are not competent. Typical mansplaining behaviors, such as interrupting or condescending explanations, signal doubts about a woman’s competence. Sometimes, even when a man knows a woman’s qualifications and credentials, he will still mansplain. It is a sense of entitlement among some men to be the expert, the knower, in the exchange. The expert woman is the ingénue, in need of his injection of information. Women are often too polite and accommodating at the moment, only to fume and seethe about it later.
I encourage women to shut down this rude and condescending behavior. You don’t need to be angry. It will go better if you remain calm, cool, and collected. When you’re on the receiving end of mansplaining, try saying something like I appreciate the comment, but I’ve got this. Or you could be even more direct and say something like, That comment makes me wonder if it might be helpful if I enlighten you as to my background and qualifications. When interrupted, you could try Let me continue, and if there’s still a question at the end, we can address it then. Please don’t smile, be polite, and tolerate this behavior.
In the fight against mansplaining, your voice is your shield, and assertiveness your sword. There’s no merit badge for enduring condescension in silence. So speak up, set boundaries, and remember, no one has the right to undermine your expertise.