Please, no more mansplainations!

Perhaps you have heard of the phenomenon refered to as "mansplainin'"?

It occurs when a guy tells you something that you already know (and perhaps are even more well-versed in than he) in an extremely patronizing tone, as if to indicate: "Don't worry, sweetie. I'll clear up this complicated concept for you. Don't you worry your pretty lil' head about it."

Now, obviously patronizing explanations are something that pretty much every single human being in the world is guilty of every once in a while. Not all men mansplain, and lots of women are..umm...womansplainers? But mansplainin' is slightly different, because it is a specific type of explaining, and because it is a classic symptom of unexamined male privilege. This privilege enables a guy to feel like he is the authority on this particular topic (even when he's not), and to talk over you, patronize, silence you, and generally be convinced of his own superiority in all intellectual debates by virtue of his very existence.

One case, for your consideration: I am good friends with this one guy, in particular, who is generally awesome, but who is not particularly interested in gender studies. My volunteer work, which I have been doing for about a year and a half now, involves extensive work on the issue of activism and gender rights in Zimbabwe. Therefore, between myself and this male friend, I am the expert on this issue.

That did not prevent my male friend from telling me all about the situation in Zimbabwe, the political repression, and how President Mugabe is a bad dude (but first he had to be reminded of what Mugabe's name was). Over the course of like, 15 minutes. In a really slow voice.

This is the same male friend that once explained to me why shows like America's Next Top Model were bad for women's self-esteem. Thanks for the heads-up, bro. I totally didn't know that.

What about you? I'm sure you've had some annoying/funny/bizarre/perplexing experiences with mansplainin'! Tell me all about it.

Peace,
Steph :)

To reiterate: not all men do this, and lots of women do this too. :)

Happy 2010!

Hey everyone! Welcome to a new (and, I hope, a fabulously feminist) decade.

With hopes that 2010 will be even better, I will provide you, in no particular order, with some good news and some fun pictures from '09:

1) The United Kingdom upheld a woman's right to a safe abortion.

2) Need I say more?

3) The High Court of Delhi, India, repealed Penal Code 377, which rendered consensual homosexual intercourse illegal. Gay men and women in Delhi no longer face the threat of criminal prosecution.

4) In addition, India also struck down the "Immoral Traffic Prevention Bill," which would have criminalized the purchase of services from sex workers. Indian NGO SANGRAM did amazing work to fight against sex worker stigma.

5) Yemen has passed a new law which sets the minimum age of marriage for both girls and boys at 17. This bill was passed after the tragic news of a Yemeni child bride who died in childbirth at age 12.

6) I know this never happened in real life...but I like it anyways...Oh, Obama. Even though the U.S. health care bill has been tragically diluted, I still like you.

Happy 2010, everyone. And if you're looking for more ways to get involved with your community in 2010, check out here, here, here, here, here, and here (to name only a few). So volunteer at your local women's shelters, check out soup kitchens and food banks, write some letters, talk to your friends, and most importantly, be safe, be happy, be healthy, and spread some love and peace.

:)

Steph