Mansplaining: How To Deal With It

Mansplaining. Even the word itself is infuriating, never mind being subjected to it daily at work and in social settings. It’s likely that you’ve you have experienced mansplaining at some point in your life, even if you didn’t realize it had a name. Dealing with this behavior can be difficult, especially if it is coming from a friend or loved one.

What Is Mansplaining? 

Mansplaining is when a man explains something that is usually frustratingly obvious to someone else (usually a woman) in a patronizing, condescending, and oversimplified way. It can also happen to other men, but it is predominantly used as a way to assert control over women, especially in the workplace or politics. Here’s how to deal with it.

Recognize How You Feel and Process it Internally 

When someone mansplains to you, although it may feel natural to bite back and react with anger or frustration, try to process what is being said. Think about how it makes you feel. Notice and observe this, but pause and deal with it internally.

Address the Issue

Instead of acting in anger, try to label the experience and make it clear you’re not happy with how they are communicating. Try saying, “I am familiar with the subject. This feels condescending.” Or “Thank you for your concern, but I actually have a degree in X/ten year’s experience in X.” You could also ask questions like, “Is this something we need to discuss more?” Be calm but direct. Make sure they’re aware that their behavior is not acceptable or appreciated. They may be acting unintentionally, especially if they are a partner or friend.

Have you experienced mansplaining before? How did you address it? Let us know in the comments.

No Comments Yet

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

© 2024 THINK GLAMOR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Your locale for the best advice on
fashion, health, and beauty

MAILING LIST


Subscribe to our newsletter to get exclusive information on today's trends in fashion, beauty, and more!


By clicking submit, I authorize Think Glamor and its affiliated companies to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, (2) supplement the information that I provide with additional information lawfully obtained from other sources, like demographic data from public sources, interests inferred from web page views, or other data relevant to what might interest me, like past purchase or location data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email with offers for goods and services from any category at the email address provided, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here.


Skip to content