by NaturallySo March 11, 2017
Current and widest usage:
A form of sexist hate speech designed to denigrate men and shut down their ability to participate in a discussion, through the use of a term designed to have a shaming impact on them, but which really indicates that the user has no real ideas or arguments, and is relying one her privileged status as a female to deny equal conversational rights to a male, or men in general.
Original intent:
A term used to shame and shut down a man who a woman felt was "talking down to her" about a subject that she already knows about. - For example, a man trying to explain how an airplane works to a woman who has been a pilot for twenty years.
A form of sexist hate speech designed to denigrate men and shut down their ability to participate in a discussion, through the use of a term designed to have a shaming impact on them, but which really indicates that the user has no real ideas or arguments, and is relying one her privileged status as a female to deny equal conversational rights to a male, or men in general.
Original intent:
A term used to shame and shut down a man who a woman felt was "talking down to her" about a subject that she already knows about. - For example, a man trying to explain how an airplane works to a woman who has been a pilot for twenty years.
"When your brother did that, I felt like he was being rude to me, so I guess I was rude back"
"Quit mansplaining, you condescending jerk!"
"Quit mansplaining, you condescending jerk!"
by WTF-O August 18, 2017
Mansplaining is when a man takes over a conversation about a topic he knows little, or less about than the woman he is talking with (or the other non-cis-male folks). It can be about anything really, and the worst happenings are when the women not only know all about the topic, they often have written an entire book on it, etc. This phenomenon of erasure of women's knowledge happens because men (especially white-cis men) are raised to believe that their opinions and thoughts matter most -- that their intellect is supreme. This is about Male Privilege and not all men do it.
I was talking about the book I just wrote to a friend when a man interrupted me to tell me all about the topic. Not only is that rude, it's the definitive mansplaining behavior.
by solidaritylove March 11, 2017
Mansplaining is a term for the condescending way *some* males *sometimes* explain things to females that may or may not need explaining. The difference between "explaining" and "mansplaining" highly depends on tone, which, if condescending, reveals an assumption of authority and power over the female on the part of the male. The difference is also rooted in the historical inequality of the sexes; males historically had more social/legal authority and power than females (and arguably, in many ways still presently do), and ingrained, unrealized biases tend to still be internalized long after political actions have been taken to equalize power. These unrealized biases often subtly worm their way into communication styles, many times through unchecked assumptions (even if innocently unrealized) and tone. This happens not just in regards to the struggle between sexes for *equal* authority, power, and political/social voice, but "mansplaining" is the term often used in this male/female context for the communication described.
While adding oil to my car engine at the gas station, a man stopped to kindly ask if I needed help (even though he'd probably not have done so had I been a male). When I said 'no thank you,' the man continued to stand there, "mansplaining" the parts of the vehicle, why it was important to make sure the engine always had enough oil, and how to properly add it. It hurt my feelings and made me sad, even though I know he thought he was just trying to be kind. It hurt my feelings because, by continuing to stand there and "mansplain," he 1) ignored my response, and 2) assumed that I was not intelligent/informed enough to decide for myself whether or not I needed assistance.
by conscientious_communicator May 03, 2016
Mansplaining is a portmanteau of the words man and explaining, defined as "to explain something to someone, typically a man to woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing."
Woman: *writes a detailed paragraph explaining a subject they know more about with added links to resources*
Mansplainer: *ignores the evidence and talks about the previous topic albeit they know nothing about it.
Woman: Quit mansplaining me, you look like a nonsensical idiot.
Mansplainer: *ignores the evidence and talks about the previous topic albeit they know nothing about it.
Woman: Quit mansplaining me, you look like a nonsensical idiot.
by lavishinqly April 08, 2015
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Men offering unhelpful and unwanted advice on issues they know less about than the woman they are trying to "educate".
He: "This is typical of the are, believe me, I went there once, on holiday, for three days."
She: "I live there. I know about that. In fact, what you're saying is incorrect."
He: "Well, actually -"
She: "Stop mansplaining!!!"
She: "I live there. I know about that. In fact, what you're saying is incorrect."
He: "Well, actually -"
She: "Stop mansplaining!!!"
by BunnyOfDarkness April 08, 2017