Mansplaining is one of the world's most popular microaggressions. Men have been explaining things to women who do not need or want explanations for thousands of years. And unfortunately for us, they do not seem to be slowing down or stopping anytime soon. Men would say "Actually, Frankenstein is the name of the doctor" to Mary Shelley herself. They would try to explain the concept of radioactivity to Marie Curie. Men would try to tell Beyoncé who Becky with the good hair actually is.
In short, there is no woman that men won't explain something to, even if that woman happens to be an expert in the very thing they're trying to explain. It is an epidemic, and it must be stopped. Countless women have stories of men explaining things to them that they really don't need explanations for. The proof is in the pudding. And in this case, the pudding is one of the most infuriating Twitter threads in recent history.
One brave woman decided to ask the question and get the conversation going...
What's the most on brand thing a man has ever explained to you?— Abby (@Abby)1552314804.0
Her own article
What a [bad word that I'm not allowed to write here]! What is it with dudes and the inability to admit a mistake?!Epidemiologists
@AbbyCScience Hahaha. My research. But also, another highlight is when a dude tried to mansplain epidemologists to… https://t.co/9Ge2dxMWUf— Sarah *Black Lives Matter* Andrea, PhD, MPH (@Sarah *Black Lives Matter* Andrea, PhD, MPH)1552317384.0
Two of her articles
@AbbyCScience My fav of all time was a dude who argued my article was wrong by citing another article that I wrote.… https://t.co/piYpVWBI8o— Mika McKinnon (@Mika McKinnon)1552418492.0
Pest management
@AbbyCScience How to control insect pests in my home. My PhD dissertation was largely focused on integrated pest management.— Entomology Emily (@Entomology Emily)1552410131.0
Her court case
@AbbyCScience A case I had done in the Court of Appeal was carefully explained to me by a man who hadn't been in it… https://t.co/95SUu1lr1P— Amanda (@Amanda)1552569125.0
Genetics
@AbbyCScience An IT guy tried to explain that I didn't understand genetics. I have a https://t.co/imuO2fGOlh. in g… https://t.co/UnqejLZoH9— #MeToo Barbie, MD (@#MeToo Barbie, MD)1552411360.0
Chimichurri sauce
@AbbyCScience Had a guy try to tell me about chimichurri sauce because he’d bought a bottle of it from Trader Joe’s… https://t.co/Q2UVmdN508— Katie Wurstner (@Katie Wurstner)1552473312.0
Her own tattoo
Upon seeing my elvish tattoo, a man once explained to me that JRR Tolkien created a whole language for those movies… https://t.co/JUSELb5dMV— Caitlin Kleppinger (@Caitlin Kleppinger)1552459095.0
How to get into medical school
@AbbyCScience How to get into medical school a few years after I graduated.— Dawn Turner (@Dawn Turner)1552445154.0
Women's and Gender Studies
@AbbyCScience A student recently took 20 minutes of class time to carefully explain the purpose of Women’s and Gend… https://t.co/o1i2TVoE3I— Traci Brynne Voyles, PhD (@Traci Brynne Voyles, PhD)1552487041.0
Single-malt whisky
@AbbyCScience Single malt whisky from Scotland. I’m Scottish (and WSET-trained), he was French. I was working in a… https://t.co/rKnF45459q— Susan (Soozi) Sinclair (@Susan (Soozi) Sinclair)1552461447.0
Software
Listen bub, she has every possible degree you can get that has to do with software. She gets it better than you do. Trust.Hysterectomies
A hysterectomy, days after I’d just returned home from the hospital Where I’d had a hysterectomy https://t.co/rG730NhLd6— A 🏳️🌈 (@A 🏳️🌈)1552456289.0
Anything military-related
@AbbyCScience Anything military related usually comes from a non-veteran. Even explaining the fact that I’m a combat vet doesn’t stop them.— Jackee (@Jackee)1552353832.0
How to operate an elevator
@AbbyCScience On a hotel elevator...doors open and a man enters and explains how to push the buttons. We exit and m… https://t.co/dKGaqnv6OF— Evelyn Krasnow (@Evelyn Krasnow)1552413595.0
How to pronounce her name
I hate this so much. It is her name. She knows how to pronounce it. End of story. Stop talking. Stop it.Her own play
@AbbyCScience At the first night of a play I wrote and directed I had a young guy contradict me about the key theme… https://t.co/ElqmrwvSAi— Sandy Thomson (@Sandy Thomson)1552443203.0
Scholarship history
@AbbyCScience A certain male relative (incorrectly) mansplained the history of the scholarship that funded my first master's degree.— Tess Thompson (@Tess Thompson)1552319569.0
Video games
@AbbyCScience @GidMK How to play video games. I worked as an fqa tester and regularity play 20 hrs per week of games— Ada McVean 🌈 Ça va bien aller ♥️ (@Ada McVean 🌈 Ça va bien aller ♥️)1552393139.0
Grammar
@AbbyCScience I was a copy editor at computer weekly & male reporter said I didn’t understand the technology. “I re… https://t.co/DH7zBajQjN— RenChanter (@RenChanter)1552448866.0
Archery
@AbbyCScience How to use a bow and arrow. Scheels guy didn’t listen when I said I’d been shooting since I was littl… https://t.co/vz1OVnHnk3— WinterSolstice🐴 (@WinterSolstice🐴)1552448497.0
Childbirth
Hell no. I cannot stand men who think that childbirth is "not that bad" or that we're "just being dramatic." Ten out of 10 men would flat-out not be able to handle it.History
@AbbyCScience The lead-up to the American Revolution. I'm American (he's Swedish), and I'm a professional 18th-century historian.— Beverly Tjerngren 🌊🌊🌊 (@Beverly Tjerngren 🌊🌊🌊)1552459525.0
Gmail's search function
@AbbyCScience I’m a school librarian, expert at research and information. I had an 11 y/o explain Gmail’s search function to me today. 🙄— Annette L (@Annette L)1552447755.0
How to get published
Unpublished Male Writer: If you really want to get published, you should try to write.... Me: I am published. Four… https://t.co/m03KJzzeNO— Lauren Morrill 🍕❤️ (@Lauren Morrill 🍕❤️)1552489579.0
Dog training
@AbbyCScience Every single time I work with a client who's a single, cis, white man: I wait for him to explain dog… https://t.co/lTZKNDlwNC— 🎃It's Training Cats & Dogs🏴 (@🎃It's Training Cats & Dogs🏴)1552446705.0
The age of her child
@AbbyCScience My personal fav was a guy who insisted I didn’t really know how old my (tall) kid was. He was 2yrs, g… https://t.co/jXw5W0oNrz— jayohnie (@jayohnie)1552446728.0
What lesbians are into
A man does not know what lesbians are into better than lesbians. Ever! He just doesn't! The end!Having boobs
@AbbyCScience lol I literally just had this one https://t.co/dktNMGAC5A— Dr. Teresa Swanson is ANTIFA 🏳️🌈 (@Dr. Teresa Swanson is ANTIFA 🏳️🌈)1552368797.0