I’d like to start this column off by acknowledging that this one might get me in a bit of hot water. I accept that my ignorance may be inexcusable for some of you. I’d also like to start this column off by saying I love women. I believe that no man should have any say whatsoever in what a woman chooses to do with her body (politics), that women should absolutely receive equal pay if performing the same day-to-day job as a man (workplace), and all of the other women’s rights issues out there. I. am. so. on. board.
But, I see a lot of feminists throwing the word ‘mansplaining’ around, and I’ll be damned, but I have no idea what it means. And now, there’s a hotline for women to call to report it?
I can’t help but wonder, “Shit – where have we (men) fucked up now?”
First things first, let me help all of the other simpletons out there – thanks Google….
Guilty. Shit. SHIIIIT. FUCK! I do this all the time to people. I had no idea I was being sexist, though. In my case, it’s always come from this deeply rooted feeling that I am the smartest person in the world and everyone else is wrong about everything that I disagree with, regardless of gender or sex or whatever the PC term is for saying one human is a man and one human is a woman. I’m really trying here. Shit. I gotta be better, guys.
But, wait – according to The Independent, “Mansplaining is when ‘a man explains something to a woman without being asked, particularly something which she might already know more about than him.”
Whew – okay, I may be off the hook here – can’t recall ever once doing that in my life. Unless we’re talking about inappropriate, bullshit blog posts, I’m willing to concede that whatever we’re talking about, anyone probably knows more than I do. I live in my own world.
Another thing, I have a hard time telling people they’re wrong. So, if I see someone screwing something up, and I know better, I’m much more likely to just let them keep screwing up or spouting out false information. Now, that feeling is going to amplify out of fear of mansplaining.
So, I’m still a bit conflicted here. The Independent says I’m not a mansplainer, but Google thinks I might be. Still room for improvement here.
But, things are so bad in Sweden that they’ve created a hotline for it?
Anything that makes anything better, I’m on board. Love this move, and was totally unaware that this was such a huge problem. I mean, I’ve acknowledge for a long time that men have fucked a lot of shit up along the way and I’ve met some pretty disgusting creatures that happen to be men (to be fair: I’ve met a lot of women who don’t exactly embody the wholesome well-intended feminist movement), but men walking around acting as experts on everything? To a point where Sweden had to form a hotline to raise awareness because women were feeling diminished? Shit….just, outright ‘shit.’ That’s the only thing I can say.
Yep – can totally vouch for this. I’ve never been more sure of myself than I am right now, and I’ve already said that I think I’m the smartest person in the world, even though I’ve also admitted to conceding in discussions not related to bullshit blog posts.
I agree – that’s a problem. There’s a bunch of other shit in the article about the backlash for such a hot line, how some people like it and some people don’t, yadda yadda yadda. You’re adults and I’m not a professor. You can read the rest of it if you want.
It’s pretty simple – men: be good men to women, and also be good men to men. women: be good to men, and also be good to women. All men and women: be good to children. All humans: be good to animals. Animals are FUCKING great! Let’s just all be better to each other regardless of sex, gender, race, religion, cat, dog, stance on Roman Reigns, etc.
It’s such a rudimentary concept – be kind to and tolerant of others, and love is bred. Personally, if I can share one of my most intimate secrets with you guys, I’d like to. That cool?
Wow – look at what we’ve accomplished here today, folks. My heart feels warmer and larger already. Could be a heart attack, but I’m going to say those tremors in my chest are the sign of emotional growth.
Love you.
Stoney Keeley is the editor of the SoBros Network, Tennessee Titans Featured Analyst for Pro Football Spot, Contributor to FanSided’s Bama Hammer, and covers the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @PFSpot, @WrestlingNewsCo, @Bama_Hammer
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