Updated: March 29, 2017
Originally Published: March 22, 2017
Women on Twitter have opened up about their most annoying encounters with mansplaining. Recently, I penned a piece discussing this phenomenon, only to be met by a gentleman on Facebook who felt the need to enlighten me on why I shouldn’t take offense. He posed the question, “Where does it say that men must remain silent?” He further argued that terms like “mansplaining” and “white privilege” serve only to silence straight white men.
Instead of “interpreting,” how about just LISTENING? Recognizing that privilege exists and that mansplaining is tiresome could go a long way—maybe even just keeping quiet for a few minutes could help. But I digress.
This week, Sarah Edwards—a writer and host of a popular podcast—tweeted about a Lyft driver who felt compelled to explain the concept of airport terminals to her.
We’ve all experienced moments where a random man elaborates on something we’re already well aware of, leading to irritation, resting-bitch-face, and then being painted as the unreasonable one. As a wise refrigerator magnet once stated, “When men stop being jerks, I’ll stop being a nag.”
Edwards decided to reach out to women on Twitter to gather their most maddening mansplaining stories. The responses flooded in—so many that you could cover Trump Tower with them. Mansplaining is an everyday burden that many of us face, and the sheer volume of stories is astonishing.
You really can’t make this stuff up. The thread could easily continue for days. Men inevitably join the conversation to argue that mansplaining is a non-issue—because, of course, they would.
When a group of people collectively acknowledges a frustrating experience—like being interrupted or condescended to—why is it so challenging for those outside of that group to simply LISTEN?
Will men ever cease the endless explanations?
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Summary
Women have shared numerous stories of frustrating mansplaining experiences, showcasing the daily challenges they face. Acknowledging these moments is essential for fostering understanding and respect in conversations.