“Every woman knows what I’m talking about,” wrote the author Rebecca Solnit in her hugely influential portion of the essay “Men Explain Things To Me” which first appeared in the 2008 Los Angeles Times. It’s when the concept of ‘mansplaining’ was born, and it refers to men explaining something to a woman in a condescending, overconfident, and often inaccurate manner without being asked to do so.
According to Solnit, men explaining things to women is not an innocent act, but rather it trains them into self-limitation and self-doubt, and further fuels men’s unsupported confidence.
Fast forward to today, and women around the world still find themselves being mansplained to like it was no big deal. So when Twitter user Priscilla tweeted a question “What’s the dumbest thing that’s ever been mansplained to you?” it immediately went viral with 340.2K likes.
It turned out she was far from the only one whose “husband let her know their home was 'up ahead on the left'” when she was driving. Many more women joined the thread to share their experiences of men lecturing them, and if it’s not illuminating, I don’t know what is.

Image credits: itsPKav
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I think I would have had a conversation with the manager at that point.
My bf once tried to explain to my DENTIST brother the difference between black and white fillings. He insisted that black ones are better because he "read an article online 10 years ago"
An older male gynecologist tried to explain to me, that all my pains are imaginary (it was a 2 week follow-up appointment after I was delivered to the same hospital unconscious from my period pain with my pants all soaked in blood and pain medication not working) and that I should see I psychiatrist instead or try other methods to seek attention from people, so I would not disturb doctors. "Periods are not that bad" - he said, "Look at men, we don't have to imagine sickness to get attention" - he said. Took some time to get the right diagnosis. It was not in my head.
Act completely dumb. Let him tune it. Play something horrible. Retune it correctly. Then play something nice and see his face change!
I recommend to use the heaviest frying pan but she most likely would do this anyway.
ah, I see. tell me more about the things I've lived with for my whole life.
They could start the conversation by asking a question about why she's wearing bees? Maybe asking if she really likes bees or asking why she likes bees? There are lots of ways to start a conversation that dont assume the person you are speaking to is completely ignorant of [insert any] topic.
Don't get me started on the Brexiteer crowd who insist that Britain isn't geographically part of Europe. Not politically - that point has already been addressed. These morons insist that the physical island itself (including NI, which I just overlook because my brain hurts at this point) is not part of the collection of countries, including those outside the EU, known as Europe. So... which of the seven continents does it belong in then?
yeah the wetness of the grass has nothing to do with it. Though if you fixed the lawnmower like my dad used to ( with much swearing and occassional flying objects) Mr. mansplain will stay away
You wonder sometimes if they Mansplain because they are verbally reminding THEMSELVES on how to do something, but don't want to seem like idiots for talking to no one.
because they know SOOOOO much more about it. (that was sarcasm by the way.)
Worse than mansplaining as there was no explanation. This is high level patronisation.
This is not mansplaining or toxic masculinity, this is just a husband trying to help when his wife is struggling.
Oh damn I hate it when people explain the obvious, and also when people assume that a woman did it lol
Of course he does, why are you even questioning that? He doesnt need medical education.. The future is now.
When Subaru Outback's first came out, I had a salesman try to convince me it was a good car because it was a box engine with a low center of gravity so it would do wonderful on turns. I said "Yep..and the only other car that has a box engine is a Porche..which means if anything happens to said box engine, it's going to be expensive as heck to fix." He got quiet after that.
Of course, he couldn't beat you at your game, you should get down to his level
He was probably scared and stressed out and trying to find a way to distract himself. Personally I crack jokes when I get stressed, worried, upset, angry, scared, depressed... I pretty much crack jokes all the time
I've washed my clothes since I was a child as well, and even worked at a laundry for years, being responsible for the washing machines. I took several courses on different machines, but I would not claim to know everything about washing clothes. This needs context.
Reminds me of a salesman telling me joist hangers (holding 32 in my hand) are so helpful, better than toenailing. Since they've been code longer than he's been alive I'm wondering where he ever encountered toenailed joists?
Wikipedia isn't helpful about this one. It's either the movie, or a massive database (which isn't listed as The_Blob_(whatever)
Edward, stop commenting. Everything you post makes you look like a fool.
Just so you know, you can also spell it "spell check" or "spell-check." You can check that by using your operating systems spell check function. It's an icon that has "ABC" at the top and a check mark directly below it. When you press it, it will automatically scan all of the words in the document and highlight the ones that could be misspelled.
Considering that many "basic" names now have odd spellings, I can see why someone would spell theirs out.
Is 30+ hours a lot? I'm not familiar with the field, but it doesn't seem like enough to be an expert.
I've been a Scottish Highland Dancer for 30+ years. The number of guys (always guys) who come up to me to explain that I've got my kilt on the wrong way round is quite astonishing. Dude, it's a kilt, not a schoolgirl outfit. I know my stuff. And no, you cannot touch my sword. :P PS: FYI, it's pleats in the back.
That sounds super cool! I really hate mansplaining, its so humiliating to be treated as if you are stupid just for having boobs. I am a biologist and the person who does the gardening at home. My partner knows nothing about plants to the point that some years ago I needed to explain him that its not a coincidence that our tomatoes are always in the same branch as the flowers were. He didnt know that fertilized flowers turn into fruit. But he keeps mansplaining me how to do the gardening. Sometimes I want to strangle him.
Load More Replies...Ultimate mansplain: A male telling me what my monthly cramps feel like, after I described them. I used words like "agony, nausea" and was told "pain and discomfort" was what I felt. And that was an OB/GYN. No. Pain and discomfort is "i twisted my ankle". My cramps are *I throw up can't eat nausea-inducing doubled-over agony*. (FYI: No, I can't get a hysterectomy. First, the HMO won't cover, and then I was too closet o menopause age. So i suffer for... years. Yay.)
I was lucky to have physicians’ notes/ hospital documents and male health care providers who did not dismiss my pain. The people who accused me of faking it...let’s just say I vomit right near them while shaking in pain and feverish.
Load More Replies...I've been a Scottish Highland Dancer for 30+ years. The number of guys (always guys) who come up to me to explain that I've got my kilt on the wrong way round is quite astonishing. Dude, it's a kilt, not a schoolgirl outfit. I know my stuff. And no, you cannot touch my sword. :P PS: FYI, it's pleats in the back.
That sounds super cool! I really hate mansplaining, its so humiliating to be treated as if you are stupid just for having boobs. I am a biologist and the person who does the gardening at home. My partner knows nothing about plants to the point that some years ago I needed to explain him that its not a coincidence that our tomatoes are always in the same branch as the flowers were. He didnt know that fertilized flowers turn into fruit. But he keeps mansplaining me how to do the gardening. Sometimes I want to strangle him.
Load More Replies...Ultimate mansplain: A male telling me what my monthly cramps feel like, after I described them. I used words like "agony, nausea" and was told "pain and discomfort" was what I felt. And that was an OB/GYN. No. Pain and discomfort is "i twisted my ankle". My cramps are *I throw up can't eat nausea-inducing doubled-over agony*. (FYI: No, I can't get a hysterectomy. First, the HMO won't cover, and then I was too closet o menopause age. So i suffer for... years. Yay.)
I was lucky to have physicians’ notes/ hospital documents and male health care providers who did not dismiss my pain. The people who accused me of faking it...let’s just say I vomit right near them while shaking in pain and feverish.
Load More Replies...
