It delights me to no end to inform you (or, to have just been informed) that the word “mansplaining” now appears in the Oxford English Dictionary, and they define it like this:
“the explanation of something by a man, typically to a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing.”
Or, to put it a little more colloquially, dudes telling women s**t they already know, or s**t that’s just wrong.
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
It’s more common than you might think. Here are just ten random, ridiculous examples, via Twitter.
10. Pregnancy moods
Yeah that’s gonna be a big oof from me.
my brother tried to tell me I should have done better managing my moods when I was in labour… I felt sorry for his then pregnant wife standing there listening. Didn’t look like she was going to be supported.
— eebie 💉💉 (@eebie4) August 2, 2020
9. Parenting
Bruh water skiing is the worst.
When were camping with a large group and I had 3 men trying to pressure my then little boy to try water skiing. He is Autistic and was terrified, they accused me of mollycoddling him and I didn’t know how to handle my own son. I ripped them a new one, they were genuinely afraid
— HRH Flossy McFluffy Pants 🌈♥️ (@PantsFlossy) August 3, 2020
8. Glassware
Yeah, thanks honey, that’s literally my job.
My boyfriend tried to explain me the difference between lab glassware and regular glassware. (Lab glassware is made from borosilicate glass and more resistant to sudden temperature changes blabla..)
My job involves lab work. He works in IT
— Rina (@EosinY) August 2, 2020
7. Anatomy
Swing and a miss as usual, fellas.
A man tried to explain my period to me once and told me that I pee out of my vagina lmaoooo
— SJ (@_janedthegame) August 3, 2020
6. IUDs
Again. Just. WHY would you choose this battle?
I was talking about how IUD strings hang down and you can feel them and confirm it’s still in place. He said I was talking about a tampon and then explained what an IUD is.
— Nicky (@NickyPaint) August 1, 2020
5. Plates
I would give anything to see a transcript of this conversation.
I had a middle aged man explain to me what a plate was…. pic.twitter.com/qgCH1VafYz
— murther (@Apple_heart7) August 2, 2020
4. Bras
Bras, bruh? BRAS? BRUH?!
How to put on a bra
— Join the Cult of Amy. We have cookies #BLM🏳️🌈🦈 (@Froschauer_AF) August 1, 2020
3. Bees
HE HAS CHOSEN THE BEES!
I wear a lot of shirts/face masks with bees on them. I wear them cause I’m a beekeeper. Men will come up to me and try to explain why bees are so important, that they’re disappearing, etc. Then I get to come back and say “actually I’m a beekeeper, here’s what you got wrong.”
— Beekeeper Bri 🐮🐝🏳️🌈🌜 (@bi_swamp_thing) August 2, 2020
2. Military service
Wait, they let LADIES IN NOW?!
I was at the United Nations conference for college students in NYC. I wore a sweater with the words Marine Corp on it bc I’d graduated from Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA. An ROTC guy asked me, “Anyone you know?” while pointing to my sweater. I said, “Yeah, me.”
— maya gurarie (@boulderscribe) August 1, 2020
1. Geography and ethnicity
Just stop. Don’t. Get some help.
Many men have explained to me that I’m not Asian, I’m indian. Like ???? India isn’t a continent I’m south-ASIAN
— harbinger of keya-os 🔪 (@nightshade_kg) August 5, 2020
We gotta do better, dudes.
Have you had an experience like this?
Tell us about it in the comments.