Sweden’s plans to end ‘mansplaining’

A Swedish union has set up a hotline for women and men to report incidents of “mansplaining” in the workforce in an effort to curb workplace harassment.

The temporary phone number is being used by Unionen – which supports 600,000 employees - to address the sometimes condescending manner men use towards women in the workplace, including customers and employees who bypass women to deal only with male staff, New York Times reports.

“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,” union spokeswoman Jennie Zetterström said.

“It’s important to create awareness about how seemingly small things that we do or say add up to a larger issue,” she said.

The hotline has garnered negative responses from dozens of Facebook users, most of whom are men.

“I've emailed you the union and protested about their sexist fight against men. Union Master suppression techniques against men is too common in society today, especially in politics and the media,” wrote one user.

“Mansplaining is a sexist feminist saying. Or should we start using femsplaining and b---splaining as an alternative?”

Zetterström said it was not the union’s intention to upset any of its members.

“Our intention has never been to point fingers or blame all men, our intention has simply been to spark an interest and start a debate at our work places and in society,” Ms Zetterström said.

“Of course it’s regretful if someone feels offended.”