Is mansplaining misogynistic?

Alth12 · 2017-02-27T14:05:05+00:00

Talking over anyone in a condescending manner is disrespectful. Men do it, women do it. You can see through a casual flick through YouTube examples in debate sections of feminists etc talking over men who disagrees with them, being condescending, shouting people down etc. People have the tendency to do it more nowadays, and its wrong.

So no it's not misogynistic as the complaint can't and shouldn't be limited to one gender over another. It's just dickish behavior.

wtknight · 2017-02-27T14:05:56+00:00

You should probably define mansplaining. Different people who reply are going to have different definitions in their heads.

"(of a man) explain (something) to someone, typically a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing" is what I get from a Google search.

I think it depends upon whether the man is really intending to be condescending or patronizing. Men often explain things to each other in a condescending or patronizing way, as well. Just look at how men argue with each other on Reddit in general. I think a lot of mansplaining is just women not used to the explanatory style of some men. But when a man is around a group of men and a few women and goes out of his way to explain something to the women, then yeah, it's probably misogynistic.

Archwinger · 2017-02-27T14:29:56+00:00

You'd have to define "mansplaining" for this one.

For some women, explaining anything while being male is misogynistic.

For others, explaining is only mansplaining if you're talking down or dumbing down simple concepts by misogynistically assuming a woman won't understand otherwise. (But when a woman talks down to men, it's not sexist.)

For others, mansplaining is simply a man talking too much and not giving women an opportunity to speak enough, or cutting off or interrupting women too frequently. (Interrupting other men isn't as evil.)

For others, mansplaining is just a man bullshitting. When a guy doesn't actually know what he's talking about but is running his mouth like he does to try to look big and important, like those evil men all do.

Blaat1985 · 2017-02-27T15:14:59+00:00

The word mansplaining is misandrist.

Lonny_zone · 2017-02-27T14:57:40+00:00

Leading question. Try again. How are mods letting this fly?

Mansplaining doesn't exist. Some people like explaining things in a condescending or self-important manner as if they are a lord; men and women alike are guilty of this.

Changes4175 · 2017-02-27T16:20:40+00:00

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Eastuss · 2017-02-27T13:59:49+00:00

Define mansplaining, then define what people often use mansplaining as.

To me, mansplaining is a micro aggression that everybody eventually do to everybody, but that women can't stand when it comes from a man, so it gotta be misogynistic.

5th_Law_of_Robotics · 2017-02-27T14:01:04+00:00

I mean I guess by definition it is. Just like those death panels in Obamacare were anti old white Republicans.

But it's also just a panic based on misreading and anger and fear.

i_have_a_semicolon · 2017-02-27T17:10:11+00:00

I think the term mansplaining is misandrist. Men aren't the only ones who patronize or speak to others in a condescending way.

I think whether or not it is misogynistic is if the subject matter that was being explained itself is misogynistic. A man who explains something to a woman in a condescending manner isn't automatically misogynistic unless they drag gender into it.

Scurvemuch · 2017-02-27T14:50:08+00:00

Define mansplaining.

ManSentHisOwnWay · 2017-02-27T16:13:05+00:00

Dismissing women's experiences and emotions or explaining them like you know better most definitely is misogynistic, and that's I think the most common and useful definition of mansplaining.

Edit: I think a specific kind of patronizing know-it-better explaining that women experience with a lot of men is also often named mansplaining and while I don't think that's necessarily misogynist I do think that it's often sexist.

goatismycopilot · 2017-02-27T14:31:08+00:00

This is hard to answer without examples. I often find my perception about mansplaining as it is presented to me, is a scenario in which I think "oh that person is an asshole." When somebody is interrupting me, or not listening to me, or talking over me I do not go right to mansplaining as the problem.

EchoZeroEleven · 2017-02-27T15:52:45+00:00

Lol, I guess I'll just give yes and no answers from now on when talking to women.

I'd hate commit the crime of "mansplaining", and be a misogynist

purpleppp · 2017-02-27T18:17:44+00:00

If you're being condescending to someone on the basis of their sex, I'd say it's a little sexist but I wouldn't call it misogynistic.

Bonus question: When a male feminist explains to a non-feminist woman that she is a victim of patriarchy, is he mansplaining?

ppdthrowawai · 2017-02-27T18:34:39+00:00

Accusing someone of "Mansplaining" is designed to end a discussion when you don't want to engage the actual content of the discussion. It's a tactic that is overused by fragile little egos to avoid confrontation.

spikeybumpy · 2017-02-27T23:31:20+00:00

"Is a term that was invented by feminists to create misogynistic hysteria, misogynistic?"

trpobserver · 2017-02-28T07:01:37+00:00

The term itself is misandrist and it is kind of adding to the female stereotype of women only being able to use shame instead of logic and facts to win arguments.

Ultramegasaurus · 2017-02-28T07:55:00+00:00

How can a made-up term be misogynistic?

hyperrreal · 2017-02-27T15:25:04+00:00

Can you add some additional analysis to this?

Sunhappy_DC · 2017-02-27T13:59:02+00:00

when i was coming up, mansplaining was just "being a man". of COURSE men want to speak up and talk over you, and cut you off, and blah blah. men like to feel like they run things.

If women today relearned the value of soft skills, this wouldn't be so jarring in professional work environments.

In our personal lives, idk, I never been mansplained. But I'm also African. I dare anyone to cut me off when I'm on a roll. I will verbally annihilate them and then wipe out their bloodlines with my words.

In short, maybe? Who curr?

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MindTheFuture · 2017-02-27T14:17:33+00:00

As gendered subset of besserwissering, could be in some situations, but I don't think it that different than any other of forms besserwissering, term just highlights one casting of it.

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manletttime · 2017-02-27T18:23:10+00:00

Mansplaining is the sexism equivalent to white people telling black people that they're being 'irrational' for feeling oppressed or micro-aggressed, etc.

It's specifically a man telling a woman about her experience. Misogynistic? Not necessarily. You don't have to hate someone to treat them as though they are inferior :D

Saint_Chad_of_Mercia · 2017-02-27T19:13:06+00:00

The problem with the issue ''mansplaining'' - as in a man ''correcting'' a woman on her views and experiences on women's issues - is that it's sometimes perfectly valid.

Just because someone is of a particular demographic doesn't mean that they are going to necessarily hold rational or accurate opinions on societal issues which affect them.

There seems to be an opinion amongst some people that challenging their own personal experiences and opinions is ''invalidating'' them.

Unfortunately, not all opinions are created equal, and those which are a bit off should not be ''validated'' as an automatic response.

There are, of course, many occasions where men do ''correct'' women out of arrogance or ignorance, but I'm not sure that it's entirely based on sexism.

bigredchewinggum · 2017-02-27T19:34:28+00:00

I think "mansplaining" really just stems from most guys being kind of ignorant to a situation and its implications on those who are marginalized in society. Ultimately it's just a sort of naive perception of something based on a man's bias.

For example.. A woman is wearing heels, a short skirt, and club attire. The woman gets raped in an alley or something.

Man: "What was she wearing?" "She should have been with a group to be safer" "Was she drunk?" etc..

When they guy says these things.. I like to think it's not necessarily victim blaming but looking at the situation realistically. There are creeps out here and violent people on the streets. Women for the most part are naturally weaker and smaller than men so it makes them a target. Makes sense.

However, when guys are saying stuff like this, a lot of them don't realize that they're overriding the bigger picture at play here. That a woman shouldn't have to worry about this stuff to begin with and we should focus on creating a culture where women can wear what they want and not have to fear being raped after walking home drunk from a bar or something.

When men speak up about the "what was she wearing?" (or similar) questions, it overrides this notion that there's a bigger issue at play here. That our society has this idea that a woman is "just asking for it" simply by wanting to dress sexy and dance at a club or something. Or that she's drunk.

As a guy, I've walked home drunk through the worst neighborhoods in New York and don't ever feel threatened. I could probably pass out drunk on a sidewalk and there's little chance someone's gonna bother me other than a cop or store staff telling me to go somewhere else. If a woman does this.. especially if she's young and attractive.. There's a chance that she will get raped, sexually harassed, stalked etc..

From my perspective, mansplaining seems to be harmless-at worse condescending from the mansplainer's perspective. I think they just have a hard time understanding the effect of what they're saying. But this in turn overrides the actual issues at play - misogyny in our culture.

yolo_tomassi · 2017-02-27T19:57:52+00:00

If it's an explanation that's purposefully dumbed down because of a low opinion of women then yes - mansplaining seems to be by definition is misogynistic

There are plenty of other reasons for patronizing explanation, like general misanthropy, massive ego, or simply a bad guess at someone's level of experience with something.

Calling something mansplaining (or not) is asserting the reason and plenty of people aren't going to guess right all the time.

EliteSpartanRanger · 2017-02-27T20:35:40+00:00

No, I personally don't think I've ever seen mansplaining in the misogynistic way where the guy is mansplaining just because he's talking to a woman and he believes that women are dumb.

I have only seen mansplaining (I don't like to use the word "mansplaining" because it's really not gendered in my experience) happen when someone, both male or female, is very interested in a topic and really enjoys sharing his knowledge about it even when the other person is clearly not interested, or when someone, again, both male and female (usually a food snob) is trying to show off their knowledge in something or brag (such as gourmet cuisine).

wombatinaburrow · 2017-02-28T00:41:37+00:00

If a man does the pompous, condescending, sexist talk down to me, I vote with my feet.

Zoidbergluver · 2017-02-28T08:02:46+00:00

Yes of course it is. Assuming a woman doesn't know something about baseball, video games, etc. just because she's a woman is misogynistic.

Princeso_Bubblegum · 2017-02-27T14:11:35+00:00

I more of view it as rude then anything.

But yes, there is a sexist dynamic which is happening there: men are taught more to be outspoken, while women to not be. However, I can't blame the man themselves for this, as its a rather unconscious process, its more of something you have to grow out of once you realize its a problem.

Aaren_Augustine · 2017-02-27T14:35:27+00:00

You know how a woman just wants you to get it?

Well a lot of women don't get it either. And they don't like it when you point that out to them. Interestingly enough, it tends to happen when the woman is being unnecessarily bratty.

Title	Is mansplaining misogynistic?
Author	BrownEyedENFP
Upvotes	6
Comments	164
Date	February 27, 2017 1:53 PM UTC (9 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/PurplePillDebate
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/PurplePillDebate/comments/5wgtqe/is_mansplaining_misogynistic/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/PurplePillDebate/is-mansplaining-misogynistic.269820 https://theredarchive.com/post/269820

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