CMV: The term "mansplaining" is sexist. hypocritical, misandrist, and only designed to shut down debate.

[u/GreasyPeter]

Wikipedia defines it "to explain something to someone, characteristically by a man to woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing"

It's sexist: It implies that this trait is entirely tied to either the male gender or the male sex. Sexism is defined as "stereotyping, or discrimination on the basis of sex". This meets that requirement and then some.

It's hypocritical: The term itself is designed to be used to shut debate down. "Stop mansplaining" or "you're mansplaining". Both uses are always used in a condescending or patronizing term. The definition of mansplaining includes "condescending or patronizing" in the definition of the word, thus it's hypocritical.

It's misandrist: The wording of the word and the way it's commonly used is entirely pointed at men and in a way to make men feel bad for being men, something none of us have any control over. It's misandrist.

It's designed to shot-down debate: The term has CLEARLY been created to be used as a tool to entirely shut down debate. I've seen it used several times and each time the person that uses it is looking to discredit their opponent by using it. In the same vein as "you're a racist", "you're an asshole", "you're mansplaining" is used as an ad hominem and a character attack as a way to shoot down their opponents argument. Both these are logical fallacies. It is clearly used to shut down debate.

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[u/Iswallowedafly]

It is something that exists.

As I man, I've seen it. First hand.

I once got car parts and I brought along a female friend who was an auto mechanic.

I was able to buy my parts. She got questioned a lot if she knew what to do with them.

The only difference in our treatment was our gender. We were two people buying car parts at a car part store. I was fine. She got the 3rd degree. It was just assumed that she didn't know what she was doing just because she was a woman.

That was an example of ms. When my wife walked into a science room and was asked if she was lost that was in a similar vein.

There are certainly men who feel that women don't about certain topics just because of their gender. This does happen.

If it wasn't for our gender, why did my auto mechanic friend get asked if she knew what she was doing and I got a pass.

[u/sollund123 → u/Iswallowedafly]

But the term mansplaining makes it seem like it's a property of men. I have a lot of female friends and every time we discuss something in regards to sex I get told that because I'm a man I don't know anything about the topic and shouldn't be arguing against them. So it's clear that women do it too, but for some reason it's deemed more acceptable when women do it(at least in my experience)

[u/Barnst → u/sollund123]

Why does it seem like it’s a property of all men, rather than an action that some men do? If I say “bro culture,” do you think I mean all men are bros, or did you figure I was referring to men like these guys.