If the reason you are giving information to a woman is not that you are assuming their ignorance based on the fact that they’re a woman, you’re not mansplaining. Period.
The sexist assumption is a core ‘component’ of the phenomenon.
Also, said assumption can be sex-related, but also all sorts of other things. That’s why I’ve adopted the term “splaining” as an umbrella term for it. “Mansplaining” unfairly creates the misandric perception that only men do it, and that the only motivating assumption is ‘because she’s female’. Both are inaccurate. I myself have experienced this based on several different assumptions throughout my life, based on my sex, age, even where I live.
Is it ‘splaining’ to assume you know more than someone else on subject X because they’re younger? Yes.
Because they’re white? Yes.
Because they just started in an industry you’ve been working in for 10 years? No.
And so on.
I really hope this term catches on at some point, lol.
P.S. Also, an assumption as described above is literally mandatory for it to count. If I’m explaining something to you after you’ve overtly demonstrated your ignorance on that subject, or I’m correcting a demonstrably false statement, that’s not any kind of ‘splaining’, regardless of what either person’s sex/race/age/etc. is.
If the reason you are giving information to a woman is not that you are assuming their ignorance based on the fact that they’re a woman, you’re not mansplaining. Period.
The sexist assumption is a core ‘component’ of the phenomenon.
Also, said assumption can be sex-related, but also all sorts of other things. That’s why I’ve adopted the term “splaining” as an umbrella term for it. “Mansplaining” unfairly creates the misandric perception that only men do it, and that the only motivating assumption is ‘because she’s female’. Both are inaccurate. I myself have experienced this based on several different assumptions throughout my life, based on my sex, age, even where I live.
Is it ‘splaining’ to assume you know more than someone else on subject X because they’re younger? Yes. Because they’re white? Yes. Because they just started in an industry you’ve been working in for 10 years? No.
And so on.
I really hope this term catches on at some point, lol.
P.S. Also, an assumption as described above is literally mandatory for it to count. If I’m explaining something to you after you’ve overtly demonstrated your ignorance on that subject, or I’m correcting a demonstrably false statement, that’s not any kind of ‘splaining’, regardless of what either person’s sex/race/age/etc. is.