Mansplaining is when a man explains something to a woman in a condescending undertone assuming that he knows more about the subject even if it is related to women. Examples of it can be seen in our daily lives in careless statements like, “Stop whining so much, period cramps don’t even hurt,” or “Let me tell you how to cook this dish properly,”. These two topics in the previous examples clearly show how men feel that they are superior in knowledge than women. It is not only a frustrating experience for women but is also extremely insulting. Consistent experience of this takes a heavy toll on women’s self- esteem and sometimes leads to self- doubt. It is interesting how no matter how much a woman criticizes a man, he never experiences the same thing; this is solely because society has conditioned men to believe that they can never be wrong as compared to a woman who is almost always wrong.
Mansplaining takes its origins from our patriarchal roots and households where men are considered to be more important than women. This is the root from which all the misogynistic thoughts and practices arise. Boy child is preferred even today, girls are not given equal opportunities to higher education, they are often married off sometimes without even considering their wishes, and then they are expected to be ideal wives and mothers. This chauvinism is cause from extreme frustration in women who are not given the right to live their lives according to their own principles.
Today, women can be seen working everywhere from construction sites to corporates. But everywhere we see, men think themselves to be superior and more knowledgeable. Even in cases where the woman might be more informed and qualified to speak on a subject, the man’s views are more respected and sought. This treatment is the resulted of deeply ingrained sexism and egoism. It can only be changed when this patriarchal system is uprooted and the fact that women are no less than men is accepted by every single person.