femsplaining

English

Etymology

Patterned after mansplaining.

Noun

femsplaining (uncountable)

1. The explanation of feminist concepts, often to a man in a condescending and rude manner.
   • 2013 March 4, Kate Carraway, “Feminist Fatigue”, in Vice:

     I do want to experience Feminist Boredom—when femsplaining and fem… doing (?) become periodically recursive and repetitive, but in a nice vacationy way that is very much a part of working toward something—and Feminist Arrogance, which is fun and about just deciding that everyone who doesn’t know already is pretty stupid.

   • 2016 May 18, “More Comedies Should Be As Progressive About Feminism and Gay Relationships as 'Neighbors 2'”, in Screen Crush:

     The femsplaining continues throughout the movie, as the girls point out how offensive and problematic sexist frat humor can be.

   • 2016 November 19, James Draper, “Fifth Harmony's Lauren Jauregui comes out as bisexual in SCATHING rant against Donald Trump voters”, in The Mirror:

     Fifth Harmony's Lauren Jauregui comes out as bisexual in SCATHING rant against Donald Trump voters. The singer insulted million of US voters who hold a different political view, but was unapologetic about her femsplaining.

2. An explanation by a woman to a man about topics that the woman assumes the man doesn't know. Often condescending in nature.

   Synonym: womansplaining

   • 2014 December 27, Rex Murphy, “The year in activist feminism”, in National Post:

     Mansplaining is a bit of this year’s wombspeak, a coinage of great self-satisfaction and smugness which attempts to put down reconciling reality to facts, naming fables when they are fables, and contesting any of the dogmas of the enlightened sisterhood, as mere condescension from the other gender. It should be paired with “femsplaining” which is of course pure unshampooed truth — as determined, of course, by when and if it works for the cause.

   • 2015 February 4, Amy Gray, The Guardian:

     The fact of the matter is that women are given so little leverage to be as boring and patronising as men in the office, home or parliament, we don't really have as much evidence of femsplaining as we do mansplaining. Thus, femsplaining remains a myth, much like the gender pay gap and female orgasm.

   • 2016 May 12, “No, there is no such thing as 'mansplaining'”, in Daily Telegraph:

     No man can freely express themselves if they speak in fear of being accused of mansplaining which is, I would suggest, as prevalent as femsplaining.

Verb

femsplaining

1. present participle and gerund of femsplain