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TheRebeccaSolnitPackforAdvancedEFLLearnersSkillsinvolved:Reading&Speaking+Follow-upListening/Reading/SpeakingbyMF(2019)MenExplainThingstoMe(2014)byRebeccaSolnit

InourSchoolFeministLibraryyoucanborrowthisbookinEnglish,SpanishandGerman.Forthegrandmothers,thelevelers,thedreamers,themenwhogetit,theyoungwomenwhokeepgoing,theolderoneswhoopenedtheway,theconversationsthatdon'tend,andaworldthatwillletEllaNachimovitz(bornJanuary2014)bloomtoherfullest

• yellow:UsefulLanguageforpracticingyourownnarratives,orforOralDrilling

consideringyourLoMs• teal/turquoise:lexicon,wordformation,usefulphrases(sintagmas)• C1LanguageItems:canyouguesswhy?• LoMsforunder-the-levelmistakestoavoid• InBold:quotes,orideasfordiscussion

Beginningofessay:excerptfrompage1to7Istilldon’tknowwhySallieandIbotheredtogotothatpartyintheforestslopeaboveAspen.Thepeoplewereallolderthanusanddullinadistinguishedway,oldenoughthatwe,atforty-ish,passedastheoccasion’syoungladies.Thehousewasgreat–ifyoulikeRalphLauren-stylechalets–aruggedluxurycabinat9,000feetcompletewithelkantlers,lotsofkilims,andawood-burningstove.Wewerepreparingtoleave,whenourhostsaid,“No,stayalittlelongersoIcantalktoyou.”Hewasanimposingmanwho’dmadealotofmoney.

Hekeptuswaitingwhiletheotherguestsdriftedoutintothesummernight,andthensatusdownathisauthenticallygrainywoodtableandsaidtome,“So?Ihearyou’vewrittenacoupleofbooks.”

Ireplied,“Several,actually.”Hesaid,inthewayyouencourageyourfriend’sseven-year-oldtodescribeflutepractice,

“Andwhataretheyabout?”Theywereactuallyaboutquiteafewdifferentthings,thesixorsevenoutbythen,butI

begantospeakonlyofthemostrecentonthatsummerdayin2003,RiverofShadows:EadweardMuybridgeandtheTechnologicalWildWest,mybookontheannihilationoftimeandspaceandtheindustrializationofeverydaylife.

HecutmeoffsoonafterImentionedMuybridge.“AndhaveyouheardabouttheveryimportantMuybridgebookthatcameoutthisyear?”

SocaughtupwasIinmyassignedroleasingénuethatIwasperfectlywillingtoentertainthepossibilitythatanotherbookonthesamesubjecthadcomeoutsimultaneouslyandI’dsomehowmissedit.Hewasalreadytellingmeabouttheveryimportantbook–withthatsmuglookIknowsowellinamanholdingforth,eyesfixedonthefuzzyfarhorizonofhisownauthority.

Here,letmejustsaythatmylifeiswell-sprinkledwithlovelymen,withalongsuccessionofeditorswhohave,sinceIwasyoung,listenedandencouragedandpublishedme,withmyinfinitelygenerousyoungerbrother,withsplendidfriendsofwhomitcouldbesaid–liketheClerkinTheCanterburyTalesIstillrememberfromMr.Pelen’sclassonChaucer–“gladlywouldhelearnandgladlyteach.”Still,therearetheseothermen,too.So,Mr.VeryImportantwasgoingonsmuglyaboutthisbookIshouldhaveknownwhenSallieinterruptedhimtosay,“That’sherbook.”Ortriedtointerrupthimanyway.

Buthejustcontinuedonhisway.Shehadtosay,“That’sherbook”threeorfourtimesbeforehefinallytookitin.Andthen,asifinanineteenth-centurynovel,hewentashen.ThatIwasindeedtheauthoroftheveryimportantbookitturnedouthehadn’tread,justreadaboutinthe

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NewYorkTimesBookReviewafewmonthsearlier,soconfused[somethinginhismind]theneatcategoriesintowhichhisworldwassortedthat[result]hewasstunnedspeechless–foramoment,beforehebeganholdingforthagain[!].Beingwomen,wewerepolitelyoutofearshotbeforewestartedlaughing,andwe’veneverreallystopped.

Ilikeincidentsofthatsort,whenforcesthatareusuallysosneakyandhardtopointoutslitheroutofthegrassandareasobviousas,say,ananacondathat’seatenacow,oranelephantturdonthecarpet.

TheSlipperySlopeofSilencingsYes,guyslikethispickonothermen’sbookstoo,andpeopleofbothgenderspopupateventstoholdforthonirrelevantthingsandconspiracytheories,buttheout-and-outconfrontationalconfidenceofthetotallyignorantis,inmyexperience,gendered.Menexplainthingstome,andotherwomen,whetherornottheyknowwhatthey’retalkingabout.Somemen.

EverywomanknowswhatI’mtalkingabout.It’sthepresumptionthatmakesithard,attimes,foranywomaninanyfield;thatkeepswomenfromspeakingupandfrombeingheardwhentheydare;thatcrushesyoungwomenintosilencebyindicating,thewayharassmentonthestreetdoes,thatthisisnottheirworld.Ittrainsusinself-doubtandself-limitationjustasitexercisesmen’sunsupportedoverconfidence.

...Arrogancemighthavehadsomethingtodo[withthewar,2012],butthissyndromeisawar

thatnearlyeverywomanfaceseveryday,awarwithinherselftoo,abeliefinhersuperfluity,aninvitationtosilence,onefromwhichafairlynicecareerasawriter(withalotofresearchandfactscorrectlydeployed)hasnotentirelyfreedme.Afterall,therewasamomenttherewhenIwaswillingtoletMr.Importantandhisoverweeningconfidencebowlovermymoreshakycertainty.

Don’tforgetthatI’vehadalotmoreconfirmationofmyrighttothinkandspeakthanmostwomen,andI’velearnedthatacertainamountofself-doubtisagoodtoolforcorrecting,understanding,listening,andprogressing–thoughtoomuchisparalyzingandtotalself-confidenceproducesarrogantidiots,liketheoneswhohavegovernedussince2001.There’sahappymediumbetweenthesepolestowhichthegendershavebeenpushed,awarmequatorialbeltofgiveandtakewhereweshouldallmeet.

Moreextremeversionsofoursituationexistin,forexample,thoseMiddleEasterncountrieswherewomen’stestimonyhasnolegalstanding;sothatawomancan’ttestifythatshewasrapedwithoutamalewitnesstocounterthemalerapist.Whichthererarelyis.

Credibilityisabasicsurvivaltool.WhenIwasveryyoungandjustbeginningtogetwhatfeminismwasaboutandwhyitwasnecessary,Ihadaboyfriendwhoseunclewasanuclearphysicist.OneChristmas,hewastelling–asthoughitwerealightandamusingsubject–howaneighbor’swifeinhissuburbanbomb-makingcommunityhadcomerunningoutofherhousenakedinthemiddleofthenightscreamingthatherhusbandwastryingtokillher.How,Iasked,didyouknowthathewasn’ttryingtokillher?Heexplained,patiently,thattheywererespectablemiddle-classpeople.Therefore,her-husband-trying-to-kill-herwassimplynotacredibleexplanationforherfleeingthehouseyellingthatherhusbandwastryingtokillher.Thatshewascrazy[1],ontheotherhand….

Evengettingarestrainingorder–afairlynewlegaltool–requiresacquiringthecredibilitytoconvincethecourtsthatsomeguyisamenaceandthengettingthecopstoenforceit.Restrainingordersoftendon’tworkanyway.Violenceisonewaytosilencepeople,todenytheirvoiceandtheircredibility,toassertyourrighttocontrolovertheirrighttoexist.Aboutthreewomenadayaremurderedbyspousesorex-spousesinthiscountry.It’soneofthemaincausesofdeathinpregnantwomenintheU.S.Attheheartofthestruggleoffeminismtogiverape,daterape,

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maritalrape,domesticviolence,andworkplacesexualharassmentlegalstandingascrimeshasbeenthenecessityofmakingwomencredibleandaudible.

Itendtobelievethatwomenacquiredthestatusofhumanbeingswhenthesekindsofactsstartedtobetakenseriously,whenthebigthingsthatstopusandkilluswereaddressedlegallyfromthemid-1970son;wellafter,thatis,mybirth.Andforanyoneabouttoarguethatworkplacesexualintimidationisn’talifeordeathissue,rememberthatMarineLanceCorporalMariaLauterbach,age20,wasapparentlykilledbyherhigher-rankingcolleaguelastwinterwhileshewaswaitingtotestifythatherapedher.Theburnedremainsofherpregnantbodywerefoundinthefirepitinhisbackyard[inDecember,2012].

Beingtoldthat,categorically,heknowswhathe’stalkingaboutandshedoesn’t,howeverminorapartofanygivenconversation,perpetuatestheuglinessofthisworldandholdsbackitslight[methaphoricallanguage].AftermybookWanderlustcameoutin2000,Ifoundmyselfbetterabletoresistbeingbulliedoutofmyownperceptionsandinterpretations.Ontwooccasionsaroundthattime,Iobjectedtothebehaviorofaman,onlytobetoldthattheincidentshadn’thappenedatallasIsaid,thatIwassubjective,delusional,overwrought,dishonest–inanutshell,female[2].

Mostofmylife,Iwouldhavedoubtedmyselfandbackeddown.Havingpublicstandingasawriterofhistoryhelpedmestandmyground,butfewwomengetthatboost,andbillionsofwomenmustbeoutthereonthissix-billion-personplanetbeingtoldthattheyarenotreliablewitnessestotheirownlives,thatthetruthisnottheirproperty,noworever.ThisgoeswaybeyondMenExplainingThings,butit’spartofthesamearchipelagoofarrogance[methaphoriclanguage].

Menexplainthingstome,still.Andnomanhaseverapologizedforexplaining,wrongly,thingsthatIknowandtheydon’t.Notyet,butaccordingtotheactuarialtables,Imayhaveanotherforty-somethingyearstolive,moreorless,soitcouldhappen.ThoughI’mnotholdingmybreath.Mediationtask.Speaking.Imaginesomeonewondersabouttheterm"mansplaining"andyouwanttotellthemthestoryofwhereitcomesfrom.Practiceandshareinclass!ListeningFollow-upWork

• ListentotheexcerptontheTalkingPeoplePodcast(category/segment:Books)• Listentoan8-minuteRadioReviewofanotherofSolnit'sworks:TheFarawayNearby

http://netnebraska.org/interactive-multimedia/radio/all-about-books-faraway-nearby-rebecca-solnitSocioculturalnoterelatedtothetitle:GeorgiaO’KeefewasoneofthemostimpressiveUSAmericanartistswhomovedouttothedeserttopaint.

TheLawrenceTreeandBlackMesaLandscape,byGeorgiaO'Keefe.ThisMesalandscaperemindsmeofthemountainshereinFuengirola.

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InClass.ExerciseforSmallGroups.Usingseveraldictionaries,andsearchengineswithtargetedphrases,workonlearningtousetheunderlineditems.Learntooffertheirdefinitionandexamplesofhowwecanusethem.Takenotesonyourfinalworkonthis,toshareatplenaryandsendinforpublication!NewIntroductionSource:https://www.guernicamag.com/rebecca-solnit-men-explain-things-to-me/

Oneeveningoverdinner,Ibegantojoke,asIoftenhadbefore,aboutwritinganessaycalled“MenExplainThingstoMe.”Everywriterhasastableofideasthatnevermakeittotheracetrack,andI’dbeentrottingthisponyoutrecreationallyeveryonceinawhile.Myhouseguest,thebrillianttheoristandactivistMarinaSitrin,insistedthatIhadtowriteitdownbecausepeoplelikeheryoungersisterSamneededtoreadit.Youngwomenneededtoknowthatbeingbelittledwasn’ttheresultoftheirownsecretfailings;itwastheboringoldgenderwars.Solovely,immeasurablyvaluableSam,thisonealwayswasforyouinparticular.Itwantedtobewritten;itwasrestlessfortheracetrack;itgallopedalongonceIsatdownatthecomputer...

ThatwasApril2008anditstruckachord.ItstillseemstogetrepostedmorethanjustaboutanythingI’vewrittenatTomDispatch.com,andpromptedsomeveryfunnyletterstothissite.NonewasmoreastonishingthantheonefromtheIndianapolismanwhowroteintotellmethathehad“neverpersonallyorprofessionallyshortchangedawoman”andwentontoberatemefornothangingoutwith“moreregularguysoratleastdoalittlehomeworkfirst,”gavemesomeadviceabouthowtorunmylife,andthencommentedonmy“feelingsofinferiority.”Hethoughtthatbeingpatronizedwasanexperienceawomanchoosesto,orcouldchoosenottohave–andsothefaultwasallmine.Lifeisshort;Ididn’twriteback.

Youngwomensubsequentlyaddedtheword“mansplaining”tothelexicon.ThoughIhastentoaddthattheessaymakesitclearmansplainingisnotauniversalflawofthegender,justtheintersectionbetweenoverconfidenceandcluelessnesswheresomeportionofthatgendergetsstuck.

Thebattleforwomentobetreatedlikehumanbeingswithrightstolife,liberty,andthepursuitofinvolvementinculturalandpoliticalarenascontinues,anditissometimesaprettygrimbattle.WhenIwrotetheessaybelow,Isurprisedmyselfinseeingthatwhatstartsoutasminorsocialmiserycanexpandintoviolentsilencingandevenviolentdeath.Lastyear’sNobelPeacePrizewenttowomen,twoLiberiansandaYemeni,“fortheirnon-violentstruggleforthesafetyofwomenandforwomen’srightstofullparticipationinpeace-buildingwork.”Whichistosay,thatsafetyandfullparticipationisonlyagoal.

Thisisastrugglethattakesplaceinwar-tornnations,butalsointhebedroom,thediningroom,theclassroom,theworkplace,andthestreets.Andinnewspapers,magazines,andtelevision,wherewomenaredramaticallyunderrepresented.Evenintheonlinegamingarenawomenfacefuriousharassmentandthreatsofassaultsimplyfordaringtoparticipate.That’smostlysymbolicviolence.Realviolence,themostextremeformofsilencinganddestroyingrights,takesafarmorediretollinthiscountrywheredomesticviolenceaccountsfor30percentofallhomicidesofwomen,annuallycreatesabouttwomillioninjuries,andprompts18.5millionmentalhealthcarevisits.It’sinCairo’sTahrirSquaretoo,brutalgenderviolencewherefreedomanddemocracyhadbeenclaimed.

Havingtherighttoshowupandspeakarebasictosurvival,todignity,andtoliberty.I’mgratefulthat,afteranearlylifeofbeingsilenced,sometimesviolently,Igrewuptohaveavoice,circumstancesthatwillalwaysbindmetotherightsofthevoiceless.