The Student Room Group

Mansplaining

So this word is now in the OED (and so are other words, like micro-aggressions, that I've mainly seen on Tumblr).

I personally find the definition a little insulting.

What do you think?

Definition

(Of a man) explain (something) to someone, typically a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing:
I’m listening to a guy mansplain economics to his wife'
'Apparently you can’t sell a second-hand car for as much as a new one. So glad he mansplained that to me'


http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/mansplain
(edited 8 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

My fave thing about a lotta tumblr feminists is they go on about how feminism is needed now because of actual important women's rights issues in the middle east and such but then when you see what they're actually campaigning about it's always either **** like this or something based off a really dodgy statistic.
Reply 2
Avatar for Alexion
Alexion
17
Never heard this term before but it sounds like something I do (minus the typically to a woman) too often :3
Original post by Retired_Messiah
My fave thing about a lotta tumblr feminists is they go on about how feminism is needed now because of actual important women's rights issues in the middle east and such but then when you see what they're actually campaigning about it's always either **** like this or something based off a really dodgy statistic.


Indeed. It's why I would never describe myself as an anti-feminist because I do think that there are places in the world where women need to be empowered (though on that note, you often find that in the places where women are oppressed, men are in different ways. They might be used as human fodder or have to work rather dangerous jobs. It's similar to the "save the girl" trope of TV. We don't care about the 100s of men that die but our attention is diverted to the lone girl.).

Original post by Alexion
Never heard this term before but it sounds like something I do (minus the typically to a woman) too often :3


You can see how a similar term is used below.

[video="youtube;N-p8dOqf3P4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-p8dOqf3P4[/video]
Never heard of this term before and I can't really see it becoming widespread to be honest.
Yeah I find it sexist against men, but why would you ever silence anyone, especially if it's offensive.
To be honest mansplaining isn't generally used when a random guy talks to a woman about something, it's used when a 'MAN' steps forward patronisingly in order to 'correct' what women are saying about a certain thing. Or if a woman is doing something like successfully fixing her computer and said 'MAN' butts in because he thinks he can do it better than she can. It's unsolicited advice/explanations from someone who thinks he is superior. If you were a woman you would probably have noticed it happening a lot. If you're not the kind of man who thinks he's superior to woman in all ways then there's no need for you to be offended by the term - it isn't aimed at you.
Original post by Kvothe the arcane
So this word is now in the OED (and so are other words, like micro-aggressions, that I've mainly seen on Tumblr).

I personally find the definition a little insulting.

What do you think?



http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/mansplain

It's like Whitesplaining, where White people try to defend themselves when they state racist opinions coming from themselves. I also advocate for Blacksplaining, where Black people try to explain themselves when they've been racist to non-Black people.

Spoiler

Reply 8
Avatar for antipol
antipol
1
Blatant anti-male sexism.
Original post by Plantagenet Crown
Never heard of this term before and I can't really see it becoming widespread to be honest.


Lol its already widespread. That's why its in the OED.


Posted from TSR Mobile
I'm failing to see how you could find this insulting unless you're a woman which you're not
Original post by asmuse123
It's like Whitesplaining, where White people try to defend themselves when they state racist opinions coming from themselves. I also advocate for Blacksplaining, where Black people try to explain themselves when they've been racist to non-Black people.

Spoiler



http://memesvault.com/wp-content/uploads/Black-Guy-Meme-Question-Marks-01.jpg

Whatdaf*** are you talking about?

Posted from TSR Mobile
They also tried to ban the word 'bossy', just lol @ 3rd wave feminism
at least it's not vagsplaining
Original post by sleepysnooze
at least it's not vagsplaining

Mate we know you have a difficult relationship with your ma it's okay you need to let go of the bitterness
Original post by Little Popcorns
Mate we know you have a difficult relationship with your ma it's okay you need to let go of the bitterness


chill out, it was a joke
Original post by Photovoltaic.


Racism. What else?
Have someone on my Facebook who constantly posts nonsense like that. She is the definition of social justice warrior and victim complex.
Original post by SophieSmall
Have someone on my Facebook who constantly posts nonsense like that. She is the definition of social justice warrior and victim complex.


I'm a social justice wizard :wizard2:
Anyone can be patronising, regardless of gender. It's not somehow special when it's a man being patronising rather than a woman.

It's utterly ridiculous that that's in the dictionary.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you