Post by Michelle Redfern

A man showed up in the comments of my last article about plyaing patriarchy chicken. He disputed my analysis of male entitlement by demonstrating male entitlement in real time. I could not have scripted it better. What followed was a masterclass in the mansplainer's playbook. Seven moves. Every time. In every room. Move 1: The Pre-emptive Disclaimer. He knows it's mansplaining. He does it anyway. Move 2: The Gender Erasure Argument. Remove gender from the equation. Also completely impossible. Move 3: The False Equivalence. Same behaviour, different power position. Not the same thing. Move 4: The Credibility Attack. Can't win the argument. Attacks the woman who is making it. Move 5: The Victim Narrative Trap. Telling me to stop being a victim of the situation before it is addressed. Silence has never liberated anyone. Move 6: The Gracious Condescending Exit. Hoping I can be 'healed' ... through condescension? I don't think so. Move 7: The Conditional Open Door. Come back when you're ready to have the conversation on his terms. An insult dressed up as an invitation. The full field guide is in this week's Truth Bomb Times. Thank me later, ladies. Difficult women, we need to rule the world. #Mansplaining #WomenAtWork #GenderEquality