Have you ever been belittled, misunderstood, or frequently had your opinions dismissed just because you're a woman? If so, chances are you're experiencing what's known as mansplaining. But what exactly is mansplaining?
Definition of Mansplaining
The term "mansplaining" was first coined by writer Rebecca Solnit in her collection of essays titled Men Explain Things to Me: Facts Didn't Get In Their Way (2008).
In one of her essays, she discusses a man who condescendingly and arrogantly dismissed a woman's opinion about a book, only to realize later that the woman he was belittling was actually the author of the book herself, none other than Solnit.
Similar to Solnit's, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines mansplaining as the way men explain something to women in a condescending tone, assuming they have no knowledge about the topic being discussed. In the workplace, mansplaining not only affects the victims but also the overall health of the work environment.
Mansplaining Impacts
1. Undermining Confidence
Directly or indirectly, mansplaining makes individuals doubt their insights, knowledge, and competencies because they are frequently undervalued and not given space to voice their opinions.
Conversely, confidence emerges and strengthens when individuals are given enough room to express their opinions and unleash their creativity.
2. Reducing Participation
The arising lack of confidence can make individuals reluctant to actively participate in discussions. If this continues, collaboration and innovation in the workplace will also diminish.
3. Reinforcing Gender Stereotypes
Mansplaining is based on the assumption that men have superior knowledge, intelligence, and competence compared to women.
Consequently, this unfair and biased assumption only serves to reinforce gender stereotypes and weaken efforts towards women's empowerment.
4. Planting Seeds of Conflict
The logical consequence of the emergence of self-doubt, low participation, and reinforcement of gender stereotypes in the workplace is the emergence of seeds of conflict. Like a time bomb, these seeds of conflict will explode at any moment if not professionally handled.
5. Decreasing Productivity
The ultimate impact of mansplaining in the workplace is decreased productivity due to slowly emerging conflicts and deteriorating cooperation.
Differences of opinion in the workplace are entirely normal. However, when these differences are expressed by belittling, demeaning, or humiliating others, negative impacts arise that should be avoided.
With the potential negative impacts it can produce, it is crucial for everyone to respect others' opinions and avoid mansplaining behavior to create a healthy work environment.
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