‘Mansplaining’

Here is a word that has cropped up a couple of times on social media – primarily ‘Twitter’.

In the first place I had no idea what it means but after going to ‘Google’ and requesting a definition I have a vague understanding.

The ‘Google’ dictionary says, “(of a man) explain (something) to someone, typically a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronising.”

Now, I have to say that after many, many years of being an Instructor/Teacher I have found that the simplest way is invariably the best way to get information across.

Is that condescending? Is it patronising? Perhaps it is but it is still effective.

However, the definition seems to lose something when applied to practical cases as quoted on ‘Twitter’.

Case 1:

He (being an older guy to a young woman at a make-up counter): “That’s pretty. It suits you.”

Girl: “What business is it of yours. Who asked for your opinion, pervert!”

Case 2:

He: holds door open for young lady.

She: “What? You think I’m useless? You think I don’t know how to manage door; that I’m some weak, helpless woman?”

These two cases were identified as ‘mansplaining’ – I’m not sure how the door extends into that but…

The thread following these was full of sympathies, both tearful and raging, for the girls so afflicted with the comment/action of the men such that I am forced to make a few observations.

It has long been held that the age of chivalry is dead. It is not actually dead although it would seem that it is wallowing in the depths of some terrible disease.

There was a time when gentlemen would hold doors open for ladies as a norm; when gentlemen would doff their hats to a lady and when a gentleman would invite a lady to precede him.

This latter has three exceptions:

1.           When climbing a ladder.

2.           When entering a gate.

3.           When entering a restaurant.

These were all examples of chivalry.

None of them denoted a weakness on the part of the lady. It was just the norm for a polite gentleman.

I am not referring back to the fifties when a normal advertisement for household appliances might run like this:

“Buy the little lady of the house a ‘Hoover’ for Christmas and make her really happy.”

“Make this birthday a great one for the little wifey, treat her to an ‘Electrolux’ oven.”

“She will love you forever with a ‘Frigidaire’ refrigerator for her anniversary.”

Very well, we accept that, even then, these adverts were patronising, condescending and not a little demeaning.

But they have little or nothing to do with chivalry.

Let me go a little further with this.

We, as a species, are hard wired to perform certain functions in certain ways. Men and women are different in their minds and not just physiologically.

Women are good at doing detailed work or hours on end – a task that would drive a man into total boredom within minutes.

Men are good at the ‘Big Picture’. Women not so much. Women like detail. We know that if you introduce an analogy into a discussion the woman will seize upon that as the very point that you are arguing about.

We are, male and female, different.

This has been going on for millions of years; it is not something that is going to change over a couple of generations.

Now, little girls with narrow and tiny minds on ‘Twitter’, be aware that when a man pays you a compliment it is just that. He is not (necessarily) a pervert. Older guys may well be more likely to do this than younger guys because older guys still have a core of chivalry in them.

We should mention that there is a difference between ‘feminism’ and ‘feminist’.

Being feminine does not make you weak. It does not mean you have to walk around in gingham dresses and admire chintz curtains it merely means that you should behave like a woman just as men should behave like men. 

I do not require a woman to be weak and indecisive. Strong women are good. I have always been an advocate for equal rights for women in the workplace as well as in the home. If a woman does the same job to the same standards as a man she should earn the same money.

Women in sports tend to get less because, in most sports, the fan base for women’s sports is less than it is for men. The payments received depend on the fan base because the income is generated by advertising sales – advertisers prefer men’s sports. The recent World Cup in Russia is a prime example of that. How many people, by comparison, watched the Women’s World Cup in soccer, cricket, tennis or any other major sport?

This isn’t ‘mansplaining’, this is fact.

Perhaps, if your lust for feminist superiority is to be maintained you should not only burn your bras but also your tampons and sanitary towels. 

Why you would burn anything is beyond me but it is your choice.

Apart from sanitary products and brassieres you must be aware that mini-skirts and low cut blouses are also repressive to women. And high heels. Tights. Beautifully coiffured hair. Make up…

Why not go the whole hog and have a mastectomy to make yourself more equal to men? You could, since pregnancy is demeaning, have a hysterectomy and then have everything removed.

For their part, men could have total castration; both the penis and the testicles removed. Then the man’s nipples could be excised. 

Removing the body hair from both men and women would stop any sexist remarks and make everybody equal.

Equal pay for equal tasks.

And the end of the World’s population.

Everything solved in one go.

And no more ‘mansplaining’!