STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Nov. 19 (UPI) — A Swedish trade union has set up a hotline for women to call and vent about “mansplaining” — when condescending male coworkers over-explain something the woman already understands.
The labor group Unionen said it created the hotline after hearing complaints from female members that they were constantly being patronized by men in the workplace who sometimes know less than female coworkers, but act like experts anyway.
A spokeswoman for Unionen said the hotline, which will operate for a week, is intended to draw attention to workplace relationships and gender equality.
“Our objective is to contribute to awareness and start a discussion, which we hope will be the first step in changing the way we treat each other and talk about each other in the workplace,” Jennie Zetterström, a union spokeswoman, told The New York Times. “It’s important to create awareness about how seemingly small things that we do or say add up to a larger issue.”
The union said most women have called for advice on how to get male coworkers and bosses to respect their intellect. The group said a large number of men have also called, asking for help getting female coworkers to be more respected by the group. The hotline is staffed by a group of gender experts.
The term “mansplaining” came into popular use after a 2008 essay by the author Rebecca Solnit, who recounted the story of a man at a party explaining the importance of a book to her, while oblivious to the fact Solnit had actually written the book he was describing.
