The word ‘mansplain’ has been around for quite some time now. But in case you have been living under a rock, let me explain what ‘mansplaining’ is to you simply. Imagine a man explaining how painful periods can be to a woman – a human being who has to experience period pains for some 40 odd years.
When men take for granted that women are informed, sometimes even about their own selves, and try to educate them but in a patronising, condescending, and overconfident but often inaccurate way, that’s mansplaining.
And women online are talking about exactly that! It started when one woman popped the question – What’s the dumbest thing that’s ever been mansplained to you?
what’s the dumbest thing that’s ever been mansplained to you?
mine is one time I was driving and my husband let me know our home was “up ahead on the left.”
— Priscilla (@itsPKav) August 1, 2020
And women on Twitter responded. From being mansplained about how to pronounce their own names to being taught something they literally majored in, these revelations make the blood boil! Have a look:
A man tried to tell me how to pronounce my name. https://t.co/4xXzIkMNhU
— Pfatima (@fatimapuri) August 2, 2020
A guy actually mainsplained mansplaining to me as I was mid conversation about it because someone else asked me what it was. The person who asked was like “That! That’s mansplaining!” https://t.co/iXVKPPM6gi
— kristen ☁️ (@netsir_k) August 2, 2020
My camera. I was changing my lens when I was out taking photos of the sunset over in Solomons & this middle aged dude comes up to me & is like "You're using the wrong lens. I can show you how – " & tried to grab my camera to explain. Sir- I HAVE A DEGREE IN DIGITAL CINEMATOGRAPHY https://t.co/kXjpyTOCTP
— Aliyah (@theaenglish) August 2, 2020
one time some guy tried to mansplain to me that toxic masculinity wasn't real and THEN told me that toxic masculinity was allowing men to he feminine👁️👄👁️ https://t.co/SbQQC8dkKJ
— 𝖆𝖝𝖊𝖑 (@axolotlhorns) August 3, 2020
During my first year of grad school, someone in my cohort explained how to make a window on my computer bigger. https://t.co/NEOZN5lNeU
— Beej 🌽 (@brittjohnson013) August 2, 2020
Imagine your calculus student asks YOU a question, then interrupts you to EXPLAIN CALCULUS to YOU, the INSTRUCTOR, the person they ASKED FOR HELP. https://t.co/m5VSdAnjx2
— legalize hoodies (@Kaitallsmiles) August 2, 2020
A very detailed description of how to put in a tampon. Told him to stop talking about my vagina and he goes “oh I’m gay it doesn’t count as mansplaining” https://t.co/O7tUJuiXjC
— Lily Linville (@lilyklinville) August 2, 2020
I was biking on the lake front and this guy pointed out that the lake was "on the left" https://t.co/Qc0fIELa6B pic.twitter.com/K4yrXtyLUY
— Devin Becker (@devobecko) August 2, 2020
This woman is literally a gynaecologist:
The difference between vulvas and vaginas https://t.co/TxxlyiXdD4
— Jennifer Gunter (@DrJenGunter) August 2, 2020
My fav was when a man tried to use news coverage to tell me what I clearly didn’t know, but then sent me an article I wrote. https://t.co/3VMYQKj9Lg
— Erin Robinson (@ImErinRobinson) August 2, 2020
Anything driving related like fuckkkk offfff do you even have a license😭😭😭 https://t.co/CLCKHuNnSn
— Aims x (@aiiimansheeraz) August 2, 2020
I grew up with a chauvinist who constantly explained how women thought and felt about things because women were all alike. I remember being a teenager and watching my father tell me with a straight face that he knew more about women than I ever would. https://t.co/sDUNrsaxJ6
— Drive-Thru Ass-Slap (@GeneralClamLent) August 2, 2020
Period symptoms, my “pointless degree,” pregnancy, marriage, fucking baseball or any sport really. Like fr what is wrong with y’all thinking women can’t actively watch and know about sports?? Are y’all really THAT fucking stupid???? https://t.co/Fufj0NeiPk
— oslyn (@oslynnn_17) August 2, 2020
How it feels to be pregnant …
While being 8 months pregnant https://t.co/i3ddvaQZf6
— Sarah Maddox (@Sarahmariie44) August 2, 2020
My dad explained to me how to use the pepper grinder that we have owned for at least 20 years and I use almost every day. https://t.co/7jq1yfmU7y
— Erin 🍀💚 (@pogueisinvogue) August 2, 2020
a female orgasm 🥱 https://t.co/rqCoiKZeNc
— Darrah Short (@darrah_short) August 2, 2020
a male teacher once tried to explain to me how period cramps work and that i could learn to control it if i tried hard enough https://t.co/d4t4G0rEKV
— sam | blm (@sammariegomes) August 2, 2020
Giving birth to our first daughter
Travis: you have to push
Me: what the fuck do you think I’m doing? https://t.co/PsRS5CxAcX— BLM: mckennedeigh (eighmy) (@momtwitreject) August 2, 2020
i asked for a boy to remind me what the formula for gravity was and he let me know “you’re not being PUSHED oona, you’re actually being PULLED. understand now ?” i just stared at him https://t.co/XvcvoUxIww
— oona (@scarheadsimp) August 3, 2020
My uncle told me I could swim without a tampon because “the water makes it stop” https://t.co/8iEsaryJmS
— Dee (@deannalynne24) August 3, 2020
The best way to stop yourself from mansplaining is to stop explaining things unless you are asked. And if you think a woman doesn’t know about a particular topic and needs to be educated on it, ASK HER!
Have you ever been mansplained before? If yes, then tell us!