This is likely a little off topic for this blog, but I feel that I need to say something.
\nRecently, I’ve noticed a damaging trend of people saying things like, mansplain<\/i>, whitesplain<\/i>, and straightsplain<\/i> being thrown around.<\/p>\n
Being female, I understand the frustration of people that fall into the non-cis, non-male, or non-wasp group for one or more reasons. I have, in several occasions, had my dumb little female brain subjected to what would be classified as a mansplaination<\/i>.<\/p>\n
There are two reasons that I think ths sort of language is damaging. I’m just going to use mansplain as an example here, because I’m not going to repeatedly list all the different ‘splains<\/i>.<\/p>\n
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One: saying that someone’s explanation is invalid because it’s a mansplaination<\/i>, simply negates validity based on the gender of the speaker, instead of delving into the problem of flawed reasoning or illogical conclusions that actually make the explanations incorrect. It says, “you’re wrong because of your gender,” and not, “you’re wrong because you’re actually wrong.” Just because a man explains something, doesn’t mean it’s incorrect.<\/p>\n
Two: calling it a mansplaination<\/i> negates every explanation that may come out of a man’s mouth. These explanations aren’t wrong because they come from a man. These explanations are wrong because that specific man is an ignorant asshole. Don’t lump all men in with that guy.<\/p>\n
If we are going to make up new terminology, use it to call out the real problem. The male-ness of the speaker is not the issue. The fact that he’s an asshole is. Call it assholesplain<\/i> or patronisplain<\/i> or ignoramusplain<\/i>. Those are the real issues.<\/p>\n
The opinion of every male isn’t invalid. The opinion of every white person isn’t invalid. The opinion of every straight person isn’t invalid. The opinions of ignorant assholes are invalid. Call them out on the real problem, not on superficial traits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This is likely a little off topic for this blog, but I feel that I need to say something. Recently, I’ve noticed a damaging trend of people saying things like, mansplain, whitesplain, and straightsplain being thrown around. Being female, I understand the frustration of people that fall into the non-cis, non-male, or non-wasp group for… <\/p>\n