“I know what’s best. Your male colleague says, “I’ll explain now,” and you sense something odd. After all, it’s clear he’s talking about things you already understand. No, you didn’t go crazy, you just encountered sexism. We tell you what mansplaining is and how you can replace him with a rude man.
How to understand mansplaining?
There’s a difference between wanting to help and a man trying to assert himself at your expense. do not manipulate It is when a man explains something condescendingly to a woman, believing himself to be more competent, when in reality it is the exact opposite.
The concept itself consisted of two words: “man” and “explanation”, meaning “male explanations”. The term first emerged in 2008 as a reaction to historian and activist Rebecca Solnit’s essay “Men Explain Things to Me,” in which she ironically described a conversation she had with a man who explained his own book to her. In 2018, neologism officially entered the English language.
It is worth noting that mansplaining is a conscious action. It is difficult for a man to endure the presence next to him of a bright and confident woman who is an outstanding specialist in her profession. Therefore, he rudely interrupts her and begins to enter the argument, trying to “seize the palm” with his arguments.
At a subconscious level, he perceives his interlocutor as a rival, but he does not want to admit his fear of not appearing smart and strong enough. The most disturbing thing in such a situation is that the sexist publicly tries to undermine the woman’s authority under the guise of supposed help and care. So, in the eyes of others, it makes him look weak, helpless and unprofessional. For example, a girl may tell a programmer that building a computer is not easy.
How to put a sexist in his place?
Outline of communication limits
You shouldn’t be rude or react to provocations when talking to a sexist, but it’s important to stop any attempts to interrupt your conversation. To do this, you do not need to raise your voice to be heard in the team. At the same time, in no case should you allow inappropriate addresses such as “darling”, “baby”, “sweetheart”, “baby”. You may ask: “Do you address all your employees/strangers/partners this way?” Then I can also call you ‘puppy’ and ‘kitten’, right?”
Ask clarifying questions
You can also ask for clarification on a sexist answer and let them fall into their own web of irrational explanations. For example, “What did you mean when you said a woman’s place is in the kitchen?” So why do you think the best chefs are men? It’s like you’re contradicting yourself.”
take the initiative
Irony and sarcasm in general are a great way to beat rude people at their game. They’re counting on you to lose your temper so they can say, “You women are too emotional,” so don’t give him that chance. And often take the initiative. You can also tell your interlocutor that he or she is overreacting and acting irrationally.
Personalize the topic
He talks about whoever harms something. Uses stupid generalizations to win a sexist argument. Your task is not to convince him, but to maintain your authority within the team and defend your boundaries. Therefore, do not hesitate to ask what he would say to the words of his mother, sister or daughter.
show mercy
Isaac Asimov said that “the gods are powerless to fight against stupidity,” so don’t worry if the conversation turns out to be unpleasant. Just pity him, unfortunate thing. “How can someone who looks so serious talk so nonsense?” Try to attract others to your side for greater impact.
Source: People Talk
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
