'I am Stanton': Neuroscience professor offers up the PERFECT response to a mansplainer who told her to read her OWN scientific paper to learn more about her area of expertise
A neuroscience professor had the perfect retort for a stranger who tried to mansplain her field to her.
Dr. Tasha Stanton, an associate professor of clinical pain neuroscience at the University of Southern Australia, was at a Australian Physiotherapy Association Conference when an attendee advised her, unsolicited, to read a certain academic paper.
She had a surprise for him, though: She was the author of that paper.
The expert: Dr. Tasha Stanton is an associate professor of clinical pain neuroscience at the University of Southern Australia
Yikes! She was at an Australian Physiotherapy Association Conference when man told her to 'read what Stanton et al found about pain' - and she informed him that she is Stanton
Dr. Stanton shared the funny if exasperating moment on Twitter.
'Friends at conferences — please do not assume that the people that you talk to do not know anything. I just got told that I should read what Stanton et al found about pain,' she said.
'I. Am. Stanton,' she added.
'Just to be clear: I would never expect people to know what I look like! The more hilarious part of this was that the earlier part of the conversation had more of a condescending tone with recommendations of what I should read, which happened to be MY paper,' she went on.
'I literally replied “I am Stanton”, held some serious eye contact, and then gave a big smile.
'Response: Visibly shocked, awkward silence, some attempted back-pedalling and then we both had a laugh.
Don't mansplain: She reminded him to be careful not to assume that other people don't know things, especially at a conference
'I told him that it was a massive compliment that he recommended my paper, that I am glad he enjoyed it and found it useful...but that in the future he might want to be careful not to assume that other people don’t know things...especially when you are at a conference.
'We all make mistakes (I know I certainly have), but hopefully the message got across,' she concluded.
Her story resonated with other Twitter users, who liked the tweet 134,000 times. It also inspired others to share their own mansplaining experiences.
Brown University professor Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve recalled being asked if she was an undergrad or grad student.
When she said she was a professor, the man asked for her specialty, and she told him 'courts, law & sociology.'
' You should really read the book “CrookCounty,”' he said.
More where that came from: Her story resonated with Twitter users, inspiring others to share their own mansplaining experiences
'I know. I wrote it,' she replied with a 'Clair Huxtable stare.'
Carolina Public Press lead investigative reporter Kate Martin wrote, 'A guy I met at a city council meeting mansplained public records requests to me, using the example of a story I wrote about police surveillance with Stingrays.'
Dianna E. Anderson wrote that a man once sent her her own article, telling her she should read up on the subject.
And a woman named Kenya Bradshaw chimed in, 'I was once told I misinterpreted the intent of the author of a law. I asked, "Who do you think would know the intent the best?" He said, "The author, duh." I then said I agree since I wrote it.
