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ismnotwasm

(41,921 posts)
47. I think I posted this before-- the history of ' mansplaining
Sun Jul 6, 2014, 08:29 PM
Jul 2014
Rebecca Solnit is a decorated author and activist, but she may be best-known for the word she added to our lexicon: “mansplaining.” Mansplaining was born from a 2008 blog post in which Solnit wrote: “Men explain things to me, and other women, whether or not they know what they’re talking about.” Since then, “mansplaining” has taken the culturesphere by storm, getting named one of the New York Times’ “words of the year” and inspiring countless think pieces. Solnit has been writing elegant, sharp essays and books for more than two decades — her latest book, also called “Men Explain Things to Me,” released today, is a collection of seven essays about this particular facet of the modern gender wars. On the whole her work spans a broad spectrum of subjects ranging from literature, art, philosophy, anti-militarism and the environment. It is feminist, frequently funny, unflinchingly honest and often scathing in its conclusions. In 2010, the Utne Reader named Solnit, who is the recipient of several literary awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Lannan literary fellowship, one of 25 Visionaries Who are Changing Your World.

Tell me about writing that first essay from which the name of the book is taken, “Men Explain Things to Me.” As you mention in the book, it is a piece that continues, years after publication, to be shared and discussed.

I’d been joking about writing it for years. Men explaining things to me had been happening my whole life. The infamous incident I described — in which a man talked over me to explain a Very Important Book he thought I should read that it turns out I wrote — happened five years earlier in 2003.

The term “mansplaining” has resonated with so many women. It shifted the cultural universe ever so slightly (in a good way). Did you expect this response?


You know, I had a wonderful conversation about a month ago with a young Ph.D. candidate at U.C. Berkeley. I’ve been a little bit squeamish about the word “mansplaining,” because it can seem to imply that men are inherently flawed, rather than that some guys are a little over-privileged, arrogant and clueless. This young academic said to me, “No, you don’t understand! You need to recognize that until we had the word ‘mainsplained,’ so many women had this awful experience and we didn’t even have a language for it. Until we can name something, we can’t share the experience, we can’t describe it, we can’t respond to it. I think that word has been extraordinarily valuable in helping women and men describe something that goes on all the time.” She really changed my opinion. It’s really useful. I’ve always been interested in how much our problems come from not having the language, not having the framework to think and talk about and address the phenomenon around us.


http://www.salon.com/2014/05/20/men_explain_things_to_me_the_author_behind_mansplaining_on_the_origin_of_her_famous_coinage/
I like the term Mansplain woo Woo [View all] JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 OP
I think I "get" the idea of controlling the message, but I think it could backfire. NYC_SKP Jul 2014 #1
I agree with what you are saying JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #4
from my experience those who are offended by this have a history of being anti women JI7 Jul 2014 #12
I think they are the silent majority JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #14
i hope so, if we go by this forum it's the same few who are always offended JI7 Jul 2014 #17
I'm not offended, maybe because I was raised in an all woman household... NYC_SKP Jul 2014 #36
This, exactly. It's the same as those who howl in outrage about the term 'white privilege' nt redqueen Jul 2014 #41
I do also; I have mainly man friends, and they're always babylonsister Jul 2014 #2
Power tools. bravenak Jul 2014 #3
My husband Mansplains JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #5
Oh, that is unusual. bravenak Jul 2014 #6
It's the straight pins JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #7
Oh, no! bravenak Jul 2014 #8
I use the Audrey Hepburn method. JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #9
I will. bravenak Jul 2014 #11
Ask him to mansplain it and see what you get. nt littlemissmartypants Jul 2014 #18
He refused to answer. bravenak Jul 2014 #21
He doesn't want you to stick a pin in your eye, for Pete's sake. LuvLoogie Jul 2014 #22
Of course. bravenak Jul 2014 #23
Audrey never did that JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #27
Oh, and here I thought you meant that was a good term for some jerks: "Power Tools" NYC_SKP Jul 2014 #37
I like your femsplainaition. delrem Jul 2014 #10
Thanks JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #13
I can't understand it. delrem Jul 2014 #15
Chanel gets it. LuvLoogie Jul 2014 #16
Yes. Loved 22 but they did away with it. littlemissmartypants Jul 2014 #20
I can't stand it jmowreader Jul 2014 #19
You are correct. Plenty of men understand woman things. littlemissmartypants Jul 2014 #24
I don't know JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #30
a more apt and fitting analogy is bill o'reilly, bundy, or the duck dynasty dude noiretextatique Jul 2014 #51
It is a very real phenomenon... MadrasT Jul 2014 #25
I think most men are guilty of mansplaining at some time or Squinch Jul 2014 #26
I shit you not MadrasT Jul 2014 #28
Hmmmm... Using the arguments, "The problem is you," and Squinch Jul 2014 #29
we are always too emotion...or hysterical noiretextatique Jul 2014 #56
I really don't mind when my husband JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #31
LOL! Squinch Jul 2014 #32
Nailed it! JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #33
That "problem solving" business is one thing. I get that. MadrasT Jul 2014 #38
It's point blank gas lighting JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #39
P. S. I know it's childish JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #40
if you are killing wasps awoke_in_2003 Jul 2014 #48
LOL mercuryblues Jul 2014 #53
I've witnessed plenty of mansplaining chervilant Jul 2014 #34
Me too JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #35
I just got it in the thread about the feminist professors shaving assignment. redqueen Jul 2014 #42
Let me go find it! JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #45
Unbelievable. redqueen Jul 2014 #43
I've received some nice emails JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #44
It's not a term I use BainsBane Jul 2014 #46
you know what, I understand that coming from you and I never use it either - Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2014 #50
I think I posted this before-- the history of ' mansplaining ismnotwasm Jul 2014 #47
The classic mansplain from the woman who coined the term intaglio Jul 2014 #49
I also like the term mansplain. It captures perfectly the patronizing tone a man might Louisiana1976 Jul 2014 #52
So glad my life has been explained to me! freshwest Jul 2014 #54
Updated my title JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #55
+1 mercuryblues Jul 2014 #59
LOL ismnotwasm Jul 2014 #57
You know JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #58
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