Is the Term Mansplaining Sexist? No Actually, and Here’s Why…

Advancing Women Podcast

This episode addresses what mansplaining IS and what it is NOT. If we see mansplaining as synonymous with being condescending, then of course – the immediate response will be “but what about womensplaining”? Women can be condescending too, of course, but retorting with “what about womensplaining” fails to consider historical context in terms of men speaking for women in politics, in the media, and still often, in the workplace.
There is NO HISTORY of women having voice when men did not, or of women creating laws and policies for men, or of women being in the position of power over men. This is an important part of the discussion. When we talk about gender differences, we must consider the wider context. The historical context, and the data.
In this episode we discuss hegemony; the political, economic, or military predominance of one group over another. We talk about who holds most of the wealth, most positions of power, pay, and prestige and most top leadership roles in industry and government (spoiler alert…it’s NOT WOMEN). We talk about Androcentric Bias - the assumption that the male view is the norm or default, and androcentrism - the propensity to center society around men and men’s needs, priorities, and values and to relegate women to the periphery. Context matters, and we discuss this in detail in this episode.
Mansplaining is a condescending explanation by members of a socially, culturally, or legally privileged groups in their interactions with those who don’t hold the same power and privilege.
Many male ally’s may be asking, but how do I recognize mansplaining so I can be an upstander? This episode addresses where mansplaining is most prevalent (which domains) and provides some new solutions to a tiresome old problem.
#mansplaining #genderequity #genderedcommunication #hegemony #power #privelege #voice
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References
Am I Mansplaining Chart? https://images.app.goo.gl/XxbgA6JBbBYjwosF6
Mansplaining Explained in One Chart: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20180727-mansplaining-explained-in-one-chart
Kaplan, S. (2019). Mansplaining: New solutions to a tiresome old problem. The Conversation Online: https://theconversation.com/mansplaining-new-solutions-to-a-tiresome-old-problem-120400
Bailey, A. H., LaFrance, M., & Dovidio, J. F. (2019). Is man the measure of all things? A social cognitive account of androcentrism. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 23(4), 307-331.