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When Does Explaining Cross the Line Into "Mansplaining"?

7 0
06.01.2025

"Don't confuse your Google search with my master's degree," I fired back, echoing a popular meme in a moment of frustration-fueled pettiness. I was in the middle of a heated discussion with an extended family member over the holiday weekend and was struggling to handle the patronizing tone and words that were being directed at me.

As I attempted to explain my reasoning about a mental health-related topic (after reminding him yet again that I am a licensed mental health professional), I was continually interrupted and told that my "perspective" was wrong.

Mansplaining refers to the condescending or patronizing explanation of something, typically by a man to a woman, in a manner that assumes she knows less or is incapable of understanding the subject. It often occurs in situations where the woman is already knowledgeable or an expert, but the man dismisses her expertise, assuming she needs his unsolicited guidance or clarification. Despite my clinical experience and expertise on the subject, this older male continued to explain to me how my statements were "a matter of perspective," no matter how much I presented him with evidence to the contrary.

Stereotypes that women are less competent lead many women's contributions to be dismissed or overlooked (Hebl et al., 2008; Sandberg & Grant, 2015). Many women have experienced disrespectful behaviors such as being frequently interrupted or talked over, told that we are wrong, or being told the "correct" way to do or understand something that we actually know well. This experience highlights a gendered power dynamic that many of us have experienced, where a man presumes authority or superiority based on the woman's

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