Let’s Mansplain 👑

Let’s talk about the space between what’s said… and what’s heard.

Recently, I went through a series of job interviews — polished, prepared, professional. I said what I meant. I thought I was clear. And then came the feedback.

Only... it wasn’t about what I said. It was about what the men heard.

And what they heard? Wasn’t even in the same postcode.

It hit me — how many times has this happened before, and I didn’t even know? Not just in boardrooms and interviews. But in bedrooms. Text threads. First dates. Conversations with men I was interested in, dating, living with.

Was I speaking a completely different language the whole time?

Are we really that mismatched — men from Mars, women from Venus — or are we just stuck in a constant loop of miscommunication we don’t even realise is happening?

👂 What She Said vs What He Heard

Let’s break it down.

• She says: “I want to feel valued. "He hears: “She’s needy.”

• She says: “I’m overwhelmed. "He hears: “She can’t cope.”

• She says: “I didn’t feel heard in that meeting. "He hears: “She’s emotional.”

It's the remix no one asked for — and somehow, it’s always on loop.

🔧 The Fix-It Reflex

Here’s the kicker: Women communicate to connect. Men often communicate to solve.

So, when we say, “I’m feeling disconnected,” we’re not asking for a to-do list. We’re asking to be met in the moment. To be seen. To be felt. Not redirected. Not talked over. Not mansplained.

But instead of presence, we often get PowerPoint.

💔 This Isn’t Just a Gender Thing — It’s a Pattern

And this goes deeper than just male-female dynamics. It’s about who’s been taught to express and who’s been taught to suppress. It’s about emotional labour, invisible expectations, and the centuries-old whisper: “Don’t make a fuss.”

The truth is, many women — especially in midlife — are done tiptoeing around misunderstandings that make us feel small, crazy, or "too much."

🧠 So What Now?

We start calling it out. We say: “That’s not what I said. "We say: “Let me clarify what I meant — because I’m tired of being misread.”

We stop accepting mistranslations as facts. And we stop shrinking our voices to fit someone else's version of what they think they heard.

🥂 To the Women Who Know

To the ones who’ve had their words rewritten, their tone policed, their truths softened — Mumma sees you. And we’re not here to rage, we’re here to reclaim. Our clarity. Our language. Our space in the conversation.

So next time someone tells you what you “really meant,” feel free to say:

“Thanks, but I speak fluent Me — and I said what I said.”

With Love,

Mumma ❤️

DISCLAIMER

I am not a licensed therapist, psychologist, or mental health professional. The information shared in this blog is based on personal experience, research, and general knowledge, and is intended for informational and supportive purposes only.

It should not be taken as professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.