: Re: How do I justify a mansplainer/misogynist? I have a male character who is coming across as patronizing and mansplain-y. He has several scenes where he tells a (different) female protagonist

@Kristi637

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A common way to explain this? The character's attraction to the other female character drives him to attempt to protect this woman, not out of any intentional sexist agenda, but out of love and devotion. This way, the character can be redeemed (although be careful, for this pattern of behavior will need to be corrected to redeem him). This character may seem to the reader to be oppressive and over-extending himself (and the reader would be right), but in the end the character can be somewhat justified if motivated by love and not hubris or self-entitlement. You could also then write some really emotional scene where the character gets on his case for patronising her, but then he breaks down and tells her why he does what he does, maybe. Or maybe it's not necessarily romantic love, but he sees his daughter in her or something, causing an overly protective instinct.

In order to make the reader see his misogyny, it's extremely important that the character undergo a change in behavior after any vindication that might take place. Otherwise, make one of the other characters aware of this pattern of sexist behavior or have the character say something unmistakably unjustifiable at one point to spark outrage in the audience.

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