Thursday, October 10, 2013
Women Explain Things
Carol Howard Merritt, on her Tribal Church blog for the Christian Century, emphasizes the importance of women in religious leadership, including—perhaps especially—in the pulpit, as a symbol of “trust and authority.” She writes, “Also, it’s important that women explain things—especially when it comes to religion. If you spend time on the Internet, you probably know the term “mansplaining”—when men explain things to women without acknowledging their intelligence, knowledge, or familiarity with subject matter . . . . Religion has had a pretty devastating history of mansplaining.” And it’s one important reason we need more women leaders. Related. To underscore the point she is making, Merritt refers to Rebecca Solnit’s famous 2008 widely-reprinted essay, titled, “Men Explain Things to Me.” Take some time to read (or re-read) it. It is classic! And it makes the point in a way you can’t help but remember and want to share with others. Although Solnet herself did not coin the term mansplaining,” her essay struck a chord with many women who have had similar experiences. And somewhere along the line, as the essay was discussed and repeatedly reposted, somebody attached a name to the experience. (You might also be interested in reading the Urban Dictionary’s definitions of “mansplaining.”)
