Mansplaining has officially gone mainstream after making an appearance on “Jeopardy!” recently. Given how prevalent this condescending behavior is, why not showcase it on Alex Trebek’s iconic quiz show? The term has gained such traction that it was even added to the Oxford English Dictionary. For those who haven’t experienced this awkward phenomenon, here’s the definition: mansplain (v.): (of a man) to explain something to someone, typically a woman, in a manner that is perceived as patronizing or condescending. It’s important to note that not every explanation from a man qualifies as mansplaining—the condescension is the key ingredient.
The Jeopardy! Episode
In a recent October episode, “Jeopardy!” featured mansplaining as the answer to the clue: “This 21st-century word happens when a male patronizingly tells a female about a topic she already understands.” Contestant Emily answered correctly, earning $600 in the “That Explains It” category. Still scratching your head? Let’s dive into some quintessential examples of mansplaining.
Quintessential Examples
Take, for instance, computer scientist and University of Maryland professor Lisa Hartman, who had to shut down a man who felt it necessary to explain Java, a programming language, to her. Then there was the guy who attempted to mansplain an article on women in tech to a woman who happened to be the author. Thanks, but she probably doesn’t need your unsolicited insights.
And let’s not forget the men who flooded the comments section of a HuffPost article, explaining why mansplaining was even mentioned on “Jeopardy!” Oh, the irony! There’s this gentleman who seems to enjoy explaining everything. Newsflash: if you have to explain everything to everyone, chances are you don’t have too many friends. Pro tip: wait for someone to ask before launching into a monologue.
Another fellow clearly misunderstands how education works. Teaching doesn’t require condescending tones or acting like the supreme guardian of facts. As someone with experience as a professional fact-checker, I can assure you that no one is looking for you to correct them during casual conversations.
This guy is surely a Men’s Rights Activist. Instead of lashing out, perhaps he should listen to the women around him, as well as sociologists and the Oxford Dictionary, who are all pointing out that mansplaining is a genuine issue. We wouldn’t want to involve your mother in this, would we?
And the assumption that every instance of mansplaining includes a “well thought out opinion” from a man is amusing. Come on, ladies; those are clearly the only types of ideas men possess. By the way, the term actually traces back to a 2008 essay by Rebecca Solnit titled “Men Explain Things to Me,” published in the Los Angeles Times. See what we did there?
Conclusion
We could spend ages uncovering more examples of mansplaining, writing articles to clarify for our bewildered friends. Clearly, they’re just well-meaning men trying to assist us ladies who are so often confused despite our education and experience. But with Trebek in the mix, we might witness a decline in these patronizing interactions. Or maybe not.
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In summary, the recent mention of mansplaining on “Jeopardy!” underscores the prevalence of this condescending behavior. While it may have entered the pop culture lexicon, the conversation around it remains crucial. With increased awareness, perhaps we can reduce the instances of such patronizing exchanges in the future.