What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedMen Explain Things to Me
Rebecca Solnit · Book · 2014
If you loved Men Explain Things to Me, start with You're Wrong About — a podcast on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Men Explain Things to Me across media.
If Men Explain Things to Me sharpened your focus on systemic silencing, these selections explore the power dynamics behind who is heard and believed.
Films on the same thread
Gone Girl
David Fincher · Film · 2014
Explores: Marriage Breakdown, Media Manipulation, False Accusation.
Just as Men Explain Things to Me dissects how credibility is weaponized, this film examines the manipulation of truth and the dangerous gendered narratives within a collapsing marriage.
Rebecca
Alfred Hitchcock · Film · 1940
Shares a thread with Men Explain Things to Me: power dynamics.
Mirroring the psychological isolation often highlighted in Men Explain Things to Me, this story captures the suffocating impact of being erased and gaslit within a patriarchal domestic structure.
Women Talking
Sarah Polley · Film · 2022
Explores: faith crisis, sexual assault, female solidarity.
This film echoes the fierce feminist inquiry of Men Explain Things to Me by centering the voices of women collectively challenging the authorities that have long silenced them.
Gaslight
George Cukor · Film · 1944
Explores: Gaslighting, Female Madness, Marital Manipulation.
Like the systemic erasure described in Men Explain Things to Me, this classic thriller portrays the terrifying reality of a woman whose perception of reality is systematically undermined.
Series on the same thread
Prime Suspect
Lynda La Plante · Series · 1991
Shares a thread with Men Explain Things to Me: Gender Inequality.
Much like the workplace critiques found in Men Explain Things to Me, this series follows a detective fighting for professional legitimacy in a world dominated by male assumptions.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
John Oliver · Series · 2014
Shares a thread with Men Explain Things to Me: Social Commentary.
Sharing the sharp social commentary of Men Explain Things to Me, this program uses biting satire to expose the absurdities and power imbalances inherent in modern political discourse.
The Handmaid's Tale
Bruce Miller · Series · 2017
Shares a thread with Men Explain Things to Me: Gender Inequality.
This dystopian vision amplifies the concerns regarding control and autonomy raised in Men Explain Things to Me, depicting the total stripping of agency from women by state power.
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage
Carl Sagan · Series · 1980
Explores: Cosmology, Origin of Life, Scientific History.
While distinct in subject, this series mirrors the commitment to clarity and intellectual rigor found in Men Explain Things to Me, prioritizing public understanding of complex truths.
Podcasts on the same thread
You're Wrong About
Podcast
Explores: Misconceptions, Public Perception, Historical Analysis.
This podcast adopts the revisionist spirit of Men Explain Things to Me, inviting you to challenge the flawed narratives that have historically defined our public and social understanding.
Stuff You Should Know
iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Curiosity, Intellectual exploration, Trivia.
For those who appreciate the explanatory nature of Men Explain Things to Me, this show provides a similarly curious deep dive into the forces shaping our world today.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the primary subject matter of Men Explain Things to Me?
Men Explain Things to Me is a landmark essay by Rebecca Solnit that examines the dynamics of communication and power. It explores how men often dismiss or explain information to women regardless of their expertise, a phenomenon that prompted the creation of the term mansplaining.
When was Men Explain Things to Me originally published?
The book Men Explain Things to Me was published in 2014. It began as an essay that went viral online, eventually expanding into a collection that sparked significant cultural discourse and fierce arguments regarding gendered communication and the silencing of women in public and private spaces.
Is Men Explain Things to Me responsible for the term mansplaining?
Yes, Men Explain Things to Me is credited with inspiring the word mansplaining. Rebecca Solnit's exploration of the condescending way some men interact with women provided the linguistic foundation for this term, which has since become a widely used descriptor for this specific type of dismissive behavior.
Why did Men Explain Things to Me cause so much debate?
Men Explain Things to Me prompted fierce arguments because it addressed systemic issues regarding how women are heard and valued. By highlighting instances where expertise is ignored based on gender, the essay challenged traditional social hierarchies and ignited widespread discussions about gendered authority in contemporary society.