If you aren't aware of what mansplaining is or you've never experienced it, you are lucky. Basically, what it means to mansplain is a mash-up of man and then explain. A lot of times, women won't even beware that they are being mansplained to, however, once you notice some of these tips and signs, you'll recognize it pretty quick. I've been on the receiving end of this so often, so I am a pro at how to deal with it.
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1. Being Informed That You’ll like or Won’t like Something
If you really don't like something and you, as a confident woman know that you don't like it, why should a man force you to try it or explain all of the reasons why you should like it. This is one form of mansplaining that nobody should stand for. It basically is a demand that you give something a chance or a try 'knowing' that you'll like it, even though you know that you won't.
2. Anything at All That Has to do with Tools
If you are a woman, you know this one well. Every single time that I've gone into a hardware store and I am looking for something, regardless of if I know what tool I need or what the tool does, I suddenly find myself getting mansplained everything about all tools and what I need to invest in certain things. Girls, we are smart, we can figure out what we need, especially if we live in a house without men.
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3. Fixing Things? Men Know Best Apparently
This goes hand-in-hand with the tool conversation. If I have to fix something, suddenly, every single man has an opinion about it and he knows best. This involves a lot of squashing my opinion on how I should fix the item and talking over me. If this happens to you girls, stand your ground, you probably know of a better way to fix whatever it is.
4. The Female Body and How It Works
Ah, this is another favorite of mine, when a man insists that he knows all about the female body, how it works and what to do with it. This is something huge and something that truthfully just isn't true. If a man doesn't have the same parts as you, he shouldn't be telling you what to do with your parts or your body.
5. Having Your Field of Expertise Explained to You
When a man starts to explain what you do in your job to you, why are you going to listen? No one should ever feel the need to explain anything about your field of expertise to you, you know what you are doing. Remember girls, you are worth something and you shouldn't ever settle for someone else's voice speaking up for you.
6. Any Situation Where Women Are 'outsiders'
Such as the auto-shop or getting your car fixed. Those are 'man' jobs and when a woman comes in and asks for service on her car, have you found that the men will try to sell you more things? I have. Every single time I go in, it's a new belt for this, a new air filter for that. This all boils down to mansplaining, trust me, girls, it is subtle but still out there.
7. Finally, the Catcalling
Now, not all mansplaining needs to be them explaining something to you, it could be something like catcalling right out on the streets. This is something that happens all the time and it really needs to stop. Men, we don't need to smile more and he doesn't need to respond to your crude suggestions.
Now that you know exactly how to deal with mansplaining, how will you handle it when it happens to you next? Has it happened to you before?
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