Mansplaining

Martina · 01-26-2013, 02:39 PM

So I had never heard of this till recently. I read an article in Mother Jones called "The Problem With Men Explaining Things: Countless women are being told that they are not reliable witnesses to their own lives, that the truth is not their property, now or ever." It begins with the writer telling the story of having to listen to some pompous dweeb tell her all about this new book that came out, which she herself was the author of.

And I saw the meme of Hillary gifs -- showing her reaction to the pompous Senators grilling her about Libya.

How to Deal with a Mansplainer Starring Hillary Clinton

Anyway, while the name is new to me, the experience is certainly not. In fact, I think it was a formative experience for me. I am old, and I grew up when girls and women had to fight to be taken seriously. I also was raised by a southern mama to be polite, so I have spent many a wasted hour listening to people hold forth on shit they know little to nothing about.

One of the reasons I actually quit a job was because my boss, a former Navy captain, used to call us into his office so he could bullshit about his good old days in the Navy. I had a principal too who used to do that. He'd get this expression -- the article in Mother Jones calls it "that smug look I know so well in a man holding forth, eyes fixed on the fuzzy far horizon of his own authority" -- and just talk on and on.

Historically there was no good way to respond to this because men could get mean if they were embarrassed.

Anyway, the thread is about this subject in general. Funny stories. How has it affected you? How do you respond?

Do you see it as much as you did? Is it part of butch-femme relationships too?

Seems like an old complaint coming back to light. But in a funny empowered way. I am kind of enjoying reading about it. I certainly enjoyed the Hillary gifs.

Here are some definitions from Urban Dictionary

Hollylane · 01-26-2013, 02:48 PM

How to Deal with a Mansplainer Starring Hillary Clinton

This link is awesome. I think it was this morning, I believe on Yahoo "News", that instead of addressing the actual conversation, they pointed out that a closeup of Hillary's glasses was analyzed, and it is now thought that her concussion may have caused more problems then have been discussed.

WTF? Seriously? That was such an obvious attempt at discounting her. They might as well have said something as equally ridiculous as "Perhaps she's having woman troubles, and could use a laudanum?"

Martina · 01-26-2013, 02:51 PM

An interesting site full of examples from academia.

Academic Men Explain Things to Me

julieisafemme · 01-26-2013, 04:31 PM

Martina this thread is hilarious! I encounter this phenomena every day at my job. The two bosses sit there and blather on saying the exact same things every day and never actually say anything. Over and over and over again. We have staff meetings and the point is to listen to them blather on. It is so boring sometimes I can't take it! Mansplaining is the perfect word. Never heard it until just now.

As far as in B/F space I have only met one butch who was a mansplainer. The feminine equivalent for me is the woman who always speaks in a hushed conspiratorial tone relating stories about other people. It is different than just gossip. It is like there is real grave importance to what they are relating.

I am sure someone will say this is all gendered bs but it did make me smile and nod my head in recognition.

01-26-2013, 02:39 PM	#1
Martina Senior Member How Do You Identify?: * Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: * Posts: 4,999 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,409 Thanked 18,366 Times in 4,171 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	Mansplaining So I had never heard of this till recently. I read an article in Mother Jones called "The Problem With Men Explaining Things: Countless women are being told that they are not reliable witnesses to their own lives, that the truth is not their property, now or ever." It begins with the writer telling the story of having to listen to some pompous dweeb tell her all about this new book that came out, which she herself was the author of. And I saw the meme of Hillary gifs -- showing her reaction to the pompous Senators grilling her about Libya. How to Deal with a Mansplainer Starring Hillary Clinton Anyway, while the name is new to me, the experience is certainly not. In fact, I think it was a formative experience for me. I am old, and I grew up when girls and women had to fight to be taken seriously. I also was raised by a southern mama to be polite, so I have spent many a wasted hour listening to people hold forth on shit they know little to nothing about. One of the reasons I actually quit a job was because my boss, a former Navy captain, used to call us into his office so he could bullshit about his good old days in the Navy. I had a principal too who used to do that. He'd get this expression -- the article in Mother Jones calls it "that smug look I know so well in a man holding forth, eyes fixed on the fuzzy far horizon of his own authority" -- and just talk on and on. Historically there was no good way to respond to this because men could get mean if they were embarrassed. Anyway, the thread is about this subject in general. Funny stories. How has it affected you? How do you respond? Do you see it as much as you did? Is it part of butch-femme relationships too? Seems like an old complaint coming back to light. But in a funny empowered way. I am kind of enjoying reading about it. I certainly enjoyed the Hillary gifs. Here are some definitions from Urban Dictionary

01-26-2013, 04:31 PM	#4
julieisafemme Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Woman Preferred Pronoun?: She Relationship Status: Married to Greyson Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: In the present Posts: 828 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,156 Thanked 3,445 Times in 660 Posts Rep Power: 21474851	Martina this thread is hilarious! I encounter this phenomena every day at my job. The two bosses sit there and blather on saying the exact same things every day and never actually say anything. Over and over and over again. We have staff meetings and the point is to listen to them blather on. It is so boring sometimes I can't take it! Mansplaining is the perfect word. Never heard it until just now. As far as in B/F space I have only met one butch who was a mansplainer. The feminine equivalent for me is the woman who always speaks in a hushed conspiratorial tone relating stories about other people. It is different than just gossip. It is like there is real grave importance to what they are relating. I am sure someone will say this is all gendered bs but it did make me smile and nod my head in recognition. __________________ Happiness Bubbling!

01-26-2013, 02:48 PM	#2
Hollylane Practically Lives Here How Do You Identify?: . Preferred Pronoun?: . Relationship Status: . Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: . Posts: 11,495 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 34,694 Thanked 26,373 Times in 5,877 Posts Rep Power: 21474860	How to Deal with a Mansplainer Starring Hillary Clinton This link is awesome. I think it was this morning, I believe on Yahoo "News", that instead of addressing the actual conversation, they pointed out that a closeup of Hillary's glasses was analyzed, and it is now thought that her concussion may have caused more problems then have been discussed. WTF? Seriously? That was such an obvious attempt at discounting her. They might as well have said something as equally ridiculous as "Perhaps she's having woman troubles, and could use a laudanum?"

01-26-2013, 02:51 PM	#3
Martina Senior Member How Do You Identify?: * Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: * Posts: 4,999 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,409 Thanked 18,366 Times in 4,171 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	An interesting site full of examples from academia. Academic Men Explain Things to Me