“Mansplaining” is a new word to me, but not a new idea.
It is defined as “the act of a man condescendingly or patronizingly explaining something to a woman, often assuming she has less knowledge or competence on the topic, even if she is an expert. Rooted in gender inequality, this behavior involves unrequested, overconfident, or interruptive explanations that undermine women’s expertise and confidence in professional or social settings.”
Sound familiar?
Hi Judy,
I just read your opinion piece in the Boston Globe and was tempted to submit a comment but decided against it because, given the fact that I have a Y chromosome, my comment would likely be interpreted as another instance of “mansplaining.” In point of fact, as an anthropologist, what I have to say regarding your observations of senior community dinner conversations should rightly be interpreted as “anthrosplaining” (or “ethnosplaining”). Alas, I have found that anthrosplaining is no more welcome than mansplaining. Rather than submit an unrequested (and probably overconfident) remark about your opinion piece, I will simply say that I found it ethnographically interesting.
Best regards,
Geoff
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