This mansplainer who defined education to a woman who escaped the Taliban got all the responses he deserved and more
Time now for the latest in an occasional series, mansplainer of the week, and this one is a clear winner.
It all started when Sara Wahedi, an Afghan-Canadian technology entrepreneur who left Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago shared her feelings when she arrived this week in Oxford.
Entering Oxford. Feeling a rush of emotions.
I just left Amsterdam, where my aunt lives. She told me that my education was revenge.
Vengeance against her father, who banned women of our family from school, vengeance against the Taliban, and those who fear an educated woman.
— Sara Wahedi (@SaraWahedi) September 25, 2024
All of my aunts and my mother have been checking in constantly today – all of them cried. None of them got to achieve their dreams. I feel the weight of their pain.
Misogyny is a cancer. Afghan women and girls must have their fundamental rights protected.
This must end here.
— Sara Wahedi (@SaraWahedi) September 25, 2024
Particularly powerful stuff, and it prompted no end of support and good wishes on Twitter.
Misogyny is a terrible legacy…but you broke the pattern. ❤
— EducatingDonna (@EducatingDonna) September 25, 2024
And you follow in the footsteps of @Malala! Oxford will be enriched.
— Trisha Greenhalgh (@trishgreenhalgh) September 25, 2024
Education is everything wishing you every success and that of other girls who you will inspire and that deserve a better future.
— Catherine (@notesonpaper77) September 25, 2024
But we mention it because it also prompted someone called @SteveLawrence_ to get in touch, and no-one captured it better than @twlldun.
Did Steve just mansplain female education to a woman who escaped the Taliban pic.twitter.com/Begt6IiLJP
— Godspeed You Black Tamperer (ft Maya) (@twlldun) September 26, 2024
Just in case that’s tricky to read in full …
Ooof. And these people surely said it best.
Oh Steve leaned back and stroked his beard after pressing send. Even if he doesn’t have a beard. https://t.co/4SWxezrKGb
— Godspeed You Black Tamperer (ft Maya) (@twlldun) September 26, 2024
I suppose it's an unthinkingly silly post from Steve, but it does come across basically as "I'd urge you to tell your aunts, amid their weeping, that they could have had a world-leading education, if only they'd organised themselves into a more powerful matriarchy"
— dan barker (@danbarker) September 26, 2024
Crowdfunder to send Steve to Kabul to do some of that surreptitious educating that he's an expert on.
— alanbenzie (@alanbenzie) September 26, 2024
I like how he clearly felt it sounded insufficiently patronising without including the “ , Sara” at the end of the first sentence.
— Alex (@MarklewA) September 26, 2024
Typical women: can't even do matriarchy right.
— Robert Hanks (@RobertHanks) September 26, 2024
Just in the interests of balance and all that …
Steve, how can a matriarchy exist in a patriarchy? The notion is absurd.
— Charlie Howarth (@CharlieHowarth1) September 26, 2024
The matriarchy usurps the patriarchy by stealth.
— Steve Lawrence (@SteveLawrence_) September 26, 2024
Why would you, and this quiet respectful matriarchy, want girls’ education not to look like education?
— Worst Witch (@witch_worst) September 26, 2024
So that it goes unseen & unchallenged.
— Steve Lawrence (@SteveLawrence_) September 26, 2024
Tell that to the Taliban, Steve.
Oh wait… you can’t.
— Melissa ☘️ (@emeraldeyes8915) September 26, 2024
That is the point.
— Steve Lawrence (@SteveLawrence_) September 26, 2024
To conclude …
Jesus wept, you let that thought out of your head?
— David Banks (@DBanksy) September 26, 2024
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H/T @twlldun