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Definition

is a word used by people who HATE ALL MEN for no good reason.

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-'''Mansplaining''' is a [[portmanteau]] of the word ''man'' and the informal form ''splaining'' of the verb ''explaining'' and means "to explain something to someone, characteristically by a man to woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing".<ref name=mw>[https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/splain-splaining-meaning '-Splain' predates 'mansplain'. Let us explain.], Merriam-Webster.com</ref><ref name=mw2>[https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/mansplaining-definition-history Mansplaining], Merriam-Webster.com</ref><ref name=time>{{cite web|last1=Steinmetz|first1=Katy|title=Clickbait, Normcore, Mansplain: Runners-Up for Oxford’s Word of the Year|date=18 November 2014|url=http://time.com/3590980/clickbait-normcore-mansplain-oxford-word-runners-up/|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|accessdate=24 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=VT>{{cite web|last1=Zimmer|first1=Ben|authorlink1=Ben Zimmer|title=Tag, You're It! "Hashtag" Wins as 2012 Word of the Year|url=http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/wordroutes/tag-youre-it-hashtag-wins-as-2012-word-of-the-year/|website=Visual Thesaurus|accessdate=30 October 2014|date=5 January 2013}}</ref> Lily Rothman of ''[[The Atlantic]]'' defines it as "explaining without regard to the fact that the explainee knows more than the explainer, often done by a man to a woman",<ref name="Atlantic" /> and feminist author and essayist [[Rebecca Solnit]] ascribes the phenomenon to a combination of "overconfidence and cluelessness".<ref name=Nation>{{cite news|last1=Solnit|first1=Rebecca|authorlink1=Rebecca Solnit|title=Men still explain things to me|url=http://www.thenation.com/article/169456/men-still-explain-things-me|accessdate=30 October 2014|work=In These Times|date=20 August 2012}} (...which, in turn, contains a link to [the ''original''] '''Men Explain Things to Me''', [from circa 2008] at the URL http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175584/)</ref>
 == Definition ==
+is a word used by people who HATE ALL MEN for no good reason.
-Solnit's original essay went further, discussing the consequences of this [[Social construction of gender difference|gendered behavior]] and drawing attention to its effect in creating a [[Conspiracy of silence (expression)|conspiracy of silence]] and disempowerment.<ref name="essay2008">[http://www.commondreams.org/views/2008/04/13/men-explain-things-me-facts-didnt-get-their-way Men Explain Things to Me; Facts Didn't Get in Their Way] - 13 April 2008, essay,  [[Rebecca Solnit]]</ref> Solnit later published ''[[Men Explain Things To Me]]'', a collection of seven essays on similar themes. Women, including professionals and experts, are routinely seen or treated as less credible than men, she wrote in the title essay, and their insights or even legal testimony are dismissed unless validated by a man.<ref name="newrepublic">{{cite web|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/118555/rebecca-solnits-men-explain-things-me-scourge-mansplaining|title=The Essay That Launched the Term "Mansplaining"|author=Helen Lewis|date=4 July 2014|work=The New Republic}}</ref> She argued that this was one symptom of a widespread phenomenon that "keeps women from speaking up and from being heard when they dare; that crushes young women into silence by indicating, the way harassment on the street does, that this is not their world. It trains us in self-doubt and self-limitation just as it exercises men's unsupported overconfidence."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.culturalweekly.com/rebecca-solnits-men-explain-things/|title=On Rebecca Solnit's Men Explain Things to Me|author=Mike Sonksen|date= 11 June 2014|work=Cultural Weekly}}</ref>
-Mansplaining differs somewhat from other forms of condescension in that it is specifically gender-related, rooted in a [[sexism|sexist]] assumption that a man will normally be more knowledgeable, or more capable of understanding, than a woman.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Calling Out Academic 'Mansplaining'|date = 16 October 2012|url = http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/10/16/new-website-provides-outlet-victims-academic-mansplaining |last = Jaschik|first = Scott|newspaper = [[Inside Higher Ed]]|accessdate = 20 August 2013}}</ref>
-== Origins ==
-''Splaining'' and the verb ''splain'' have existed for more than 200 years and were originally simply colloquial pronunciations of the words ''explaining'' and ''explain''. Since some time before the first written evidence in 1989 of a shift in meaning, they have increasingly referred to condescending and often extensive or verbose explanations. Since then, the word has been increasingly prefixed by words to refer to who is doing the splaining, of which ''mansplaining'' was the first. This remains the best known form of splaining, and it has inspired terms for many more,<ref name=mw /><ref>[https://www.vocabulary.com/articles/dictionary/mansplaining-spawns-a-new-suffix/ "Mansplaining" Spawns a New Suffix] by Mark Peters, Vocabulary.com </ref> but in some cases the term is also or mostly used in the original positive sense of "explaining", for example ''gaysplaining''.<ref>[http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2013/08/26/welcome_to_outward_slate_s_new_lgbtq_section.html Welcome to Outward] by J. Bryan Lowder and June Thomas, Slate.com </ref>
-The [[neologism]]<ref name="ITT" /> ''mansplaining'' showed up simultaneously in multiple places, so its origin is difficult to establish.<ref name="ITT" /> In an essay titled ''[[Men Explain Things to Me]]'', Solnit told an anecdote about a man at a party who said he had heard she had written some books. She began to talk about her most recent book at the time, on [[Eadweard Muybridge]], whereupon the man cut her off and asked if she had "heard about the very important Muybridge book that came out this year" – not considering that it might be (as, in fact, it was) Solnit's book.<ref name="LAT">{{cite news|last1=Solnit|first1=Rebecca|authorlink1=Rebecca Solnit|title=Men who explain things|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/13/opinion/op-solnit13|accessdate=30 October 2014|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=13 April 2008}}</ref>
-The word is thought to have been first used in 2008 or 2009,<ref>{{Cite news|title = The Art of Mansplaining|date =1 December 2012|url = http://www.nationinstitute.org/blog/nationbooks/3059/the_art_of_mansplaining|last = Robinson|first = Anna|newspaper = [[The Nation Institute]]|accessdate = 20 August 2013}}</ref> shortly after Solnit published her April 2008 blog post. In it, she did not use the word ''mansplaining'', but described the phenomenon as "something every woman knows".
-A month later, the word appeared in a comment on the [[Social networking service|social network]] [[LiveJournal]], and its use has grown since.<ref name="Atlantic">{{cite news|title = A Cultural History of Mansplaining|date = 1 November 2012|url = https://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/11/a-cultural-history-of-mansplaining/264380/|last = Rothman|first = Lily|work = [[The Atlantic]]|accessdate = 20 August 2013}}</ref>  It soon became popular among feminist bloggers, and then in mainstream cultural commentary.<ref name="Atlantic" /><ref name="ITT">{{cite web|last1=Doyle|first1=Sady |title=Mansplaining, Explained|url=http://inthesetimes.com/article/16552/rebecca_solnit_explains_mansplaining|website=[[In These Times]]|accessdate=30 October 2014|date=1 May 2014}}</ref> It was included on The ''[[New York Times]]''{{'}} 2010 word of the year list,<ref name="ITT" /> nominated for the [[American Dialect Society]]'s most creative word of the year honor in 2012,<ref name="VT" /> and added to the online ''Oxford Dictionaries'' in 2014.<ref name="OD">{{cite web|title=New words added to OxfordDictionaries.com today include binge-watch, cray, and vape|url=http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/press-releases/new-words-added-oxforddictionaries-com-august-2014/|website=Oxforddictionaries.com|accessdate=30 October 2014|date=August 2014}}</ref>
-== Usage ==
-Since 2010, journalists have used the word to describe people including the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, [[Mitt Romney]];<ref>{{cite news|title = The Mittsplainer: An Alternate Theory of Mitt Romney's Gaffes|date = 1 August 2012|url = http://www.gq.com/news-politics/blogs/death-race/2012/08/the-mittsplainer-an-alternate-theory-of-mitt-romneys-gaffes.html|last = Cogan|first = Marin|work = [[GQ]]|accessdate = 20 August 2012}}</ref> [[Governor of Texas]] [[Rick Perry]];<ref>{{Cite news|title = Mansplaining the Mansplainer: Rick Perry's Accidental Abortion Honesty|date = 27 June 2013|url = http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/06/27/mansplaining_the_mansplainer_rick_perry_s_accidental_abortion_honesty.html|last = Weigel|first = David|newspaper = [[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|accessdate = 20 August 2013}}</ref> [[MSNBC]] host [[Lawrence O'Donnell]];<ref>{{Cite news|title = Dear Lawrence O'Donnell, Don't Mansplain to Me About Russia|date = 8 August 2013|url = https://newrepublic.com/article/114234/lawrence-odonnell-yells-julia-ioffe-about-putin-and-snowden|last = Ioffe|first = Julia|work = [[The New Republic]]|accessdate = 20 August 2013}}</ref> various characters on the [[HBO]] drama series ''[[The Newsroom (U.S. TV series)|The Newsroom]]'';<ref>{{Cite news|title = 'The Newsroom' vs. 'Honey Boo Boo': Which one really gives us more to think about?|date = 11 July 2013|url = http://www.wpost.com/entertainment/tv/the-newsroom-vs-honey-boo-boo-which-one-really-gives-us-more-to-think-about/2013/07/11/8d011ca6-e422-11e2-80eb-3145e2994a55_story_2.html|last = Stuever|first = Hank|work = [[The Washington Post]]|accessdate = 20 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title = Trying to Tolerate The Newsroom, Week Four|date = 5 August 2013|url = http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/08/05/trying_to_tolerate_the_newsroom_week_four.html|last = Weigel|first = David|work = [[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|accessdate = 20 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title = Death by Newsroom|date = 16 July 2013|url = http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9484137/newsroom-breaking-bad-other-tv-burning-issues|last = Greenwald|first = Andy|work = [[Grantland]]|accessdate = 20 August 2013}}</ref> music executive [[Jimmy Iovine]];<ref>{{Cite web|title = Dear Jimmy Iovine: Women Don't Need You to Mansplain Music to Them|url = http://observer.com/2015/11/dear-jimmy-iovine-women-dont-need-you-to-mansplain-music-to-them/|website = Observer|accessdate = 2015-12-20}}</ref> Australian Prime Minister [[Malcolm Turnbull]];<ref>{{Cite web|title = PM accused of 'mansplaining' ... but what does it mean?|url = http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/pm-accused-of-mansplaining--but-what-does-it-mean-20150916-gjo7sk.html|website = The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate = 2015-12-20}}</ref> actor [[Matt Damon]];<ref>{{Cite web|title = Bustle|url = http://www.bustle.com/articles/110451-matt-damon-mansplaining-diversity-on-project-greenlight-is-frustrating-but-there-is-a-silver-lining|website = www.bustle.com|accessdate = 2015-12-20}}</ref> and consumer rights advocate [[Ralph Nader]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Ralph Nader Mansplains Monetary Policy to Janet Yellen|url = http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/11/nader-mansplains-monetary-policy-to-yellen.html|website = Daily Intelligencer|accessdate = 2015-12-20}}</ref>
-In 2013, [[Dictionary.com]] said it was adding both ''mansplain'' and the suffix (libfix) ''-splain'' to its dictionary.<ref name=dictionary.com>{{cite web|last1=Solomon|first1=Jane|title=Word Watch 2013: -splain|url=http://blog.dictionary.com/splain/|publisher=Dictionary.com|accessdate=24 November 2014|date=6 December 2013|quote=The possibilities are seeming endless on the -splain front. This gives Dictionary.com reason to believe that -splain is not just a temporary fad, but rather a stable new addition to English along with its libfix cousins like ''-gate'', ''-pocalypse'', and ''-zilla''.}}</ref> Its announcement read in part: "In addition to being creative, this term, particularly the ''-splaining part'', has proven to be incredibly robust and useful as a combining form in 2013." Dictionary.com noted that the meaning of ''mansplain'' had changed somewhat since 2009, from "intense and serious to casual and jocular", while older ''-splain'' words still have "heavy cultural and political connotations and are often added to the names of politicians".<ref name=dictionary.com/>
-Mansplaining has also engendered parallel constructions such as ''womansplaining'', ''whitesplaining'', ''rightsplaining'',<ref name="american speech">{{cite journal | url=http://americanspeech.dukejournals.org/content/87/2/190.full.pdf+html | title=Among The New Words | last=Zimmer |first=Benjamin |last2=Carson |first2=Charles C. | journal=American Speech | year=2013 | volume=88 | issue=2 | pages=196–214 | doi=10.1215/00031283-2346771}}{{subscription required}}</ref> and ''Damonsplaining''.<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-34251224 'Damonsplaining': Matt Damon accused of insensitivity] [[BBC News]], 16 September 2015</ref><ref>Justin Wm. Moyer, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/29/matt-damon-has-more-damonsplaining-to-do-this-time-about-alleged-anti-gay-comments/ Matt Damon has more ‘Damonsplaining’ to do — this time about alleged anti-gay comments] ''[[Washington Post]]'', 29 September 2015</ref>
-== Criticism ==
-The usefulness of the term has been disputed. Given its gender-specific nature and negative connotation, Lesley Kinzel described it as inherently biased, [[Essentialism|essentialist]], dismissive, and a double standard.<ref name=Kinzel>{{cite news|title = Why You'll Never Hear Me Use the Term 'Mansplain'|date = 16 August 2012|url = http://www.xojane.com/issues/why-you-ll-never-hear-me-use-term-mansplain|last = Kinzel|first = Lesley|work = [[XoJane]]|accessdate = 22 August 2013}}</ref>  Author [[Cathy Young]] called it "a pejorative term for supposedly obtuse and arrogant male arguments on gender, apparently now also applied to female dissent".<ref>{{cite web|last=Young|first=Cathy|title=Is the Patriarchy dead?|url=http://reason.com/archives/2013/09/29/is-the-patriarchy-dead|website=Reason.com|date=29 September 2013|accessdate=22 January 2015}}</ref> As the word became more popular, some commentators complained that misappropriation and overuse had in some instances diluted its original meaning.<ref name="Salon">{{cite news|last1=Hart|first1=Benjamin|title=RIP "mansplaining": How the Internet killed one of our most useful words|url=http://www.salon.com/2014/10/20/rip_mansplaining_how_the_internet_killed_one_of_our_most_useful_words/|accessdate=30 October 2014|work=[[Salon (website)|Salon]]|date=20 October 2014}}</ref> Liz Cookman writing for ''[[The Guardian]]'' says that the term "reeks of gender essentialism – the idea that specific physical, social or cultural traits are native to a particular gender" and considers it degrading.<ref name=Cookman>{{cite news|last1=Cookman|first1=Liz|title=Allow me to explain why we don't need words like 'mansplain'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2015/feb/12/allow-me-to-explain-why-we-dont-need-words-like-mansplain|accessdate=24 January 2016|publisher=The Guardian|date=12 February 2015}}</ref> Joshua Sealy-Harrington and Tom McLaughlin write  in ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' that the term has occasionally been used as an ''[[ad hominem]]'' to silence debate.  They suggest that faulty arguments should instead be refuted.<ref name=globe>{{cite news|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arguments-should-not-be-silenced-because-of-their-authors-race-or-sex/article17956547/|title=Arguments should not be silenced because of their author’s race or sex|last1=McLaughlin|first1=Tom|last2=Sealy-Harrington|first2=Joshua|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=15 April 2014|accessdate=13 February 2016}}</ref>
-In February 2016, the term sparked an argument between two members of a [[Australian Senate committees|committee of the Australian Senate]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/what-katy-gallagher-explains-mansplaining-to-mitch-fifield-during-fiery-estimates-showdown-20160210-gmr3u5.html |title='What?': Katy Gallagher explains mansplaining to Mitch Fifield during fiery estimates showdown |last=Ireland   |first=Judith |date=11 February 2016 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=13 December 2016}}</ref>
-In a 2016 Washington Post article, Cathy Young wrote that the term "mansplaining" is just one of a number of terms using "man" as a derogatory prefix, and that this convention is part of a "current cycle of misandry."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Young|first1=Cathy|title=Feminists treat men badly. It’s bad for feminism|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/06/30/feminists-treat-men-badly-its-bad-for-feminism|work=Washington Post|date=June 30, 2016|quote=Whatever the reasons for the current cycle of misandry — yes, that’s a word, derided but also adopted for ironic use by many feminists — its existence is quite real. Consider, for example, the number of neologisms that use “man” as a derogatory prefix and that have entered everyday media language: “mansplaining,” “manspreading” and “manterrupting."}}</ref>
-== See also ==
-* [[Sociolinguistics]]
-* [[Tone policing]]
-== References ==
-{{Reflist|30em}}
-== External links ==
-{{Wiktionary|mansplaining}}
-* Rebecca Solnit, [http://www.commondreams.org/views/2008/04/13/men-explain-things-me-facts-didnt-get-their-way Men Explain Things to Me; Facts Didn't Get in Their Way],  13 April 2008
-{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
-[[Category:Sexism]]
-[[Category:Sociolinguistics]]
-[[Category:Words coined in the 2000s]]
-{{Discrimination |state=collapsed}}