Mansplaining 101 for Men: Why We Do It

A fear-based need to project competency is at the core of mansplaining. But you already knew that.

I realize that mansplaining is a partisan term that implies a particular bent in the binary gender wars. But terms like mansplaining, which gain widespread use across the entire culture, do so because they have truth in them.

So, yes, mansplaining is a harsh and unforgiving label for a particular mode of masculine communication in which men, in conversation with women, speak as if they are the acknowledged expert on a subject when they actually aren’t or at least aren’t the only one. There is a presumption of expertise. Especially is the subject is traditionally gendered; say, programming or engineering. Additionally, woman who may know more about said subject often can’t get a word in edgewise. This is a real thing. It happens.

And…

I would hasten to add that when the mansplainer is not talking over women, he is busy condescending to other men. We don’t like him any better than women do, but given the historic imbalance of power for women, mansplaining is particularly galling for them.

Additionally, many men will become reactive if women interrupt or directly refuse mansplaining. For some men any form of rejection…