Jessica Chastain is never one to shy away from discussing women’s health issues, but it seems some men can’t resist weighing in whenever she does. A few months back, a sports star tried to mansplain birth control to her, only to be swiftly shut down by Twitter. Recently, Chastain tweeted about the absurdity of some men opposing funding for women’s health services—a nod to Trump’s plan to eliminate universal maternity coverage.
Seema Verma, Trump’s choice to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, recently stated in a Senate Finance Committee meeting that insurance companies shouldn’t be required to offer maternity coverage. “Some women might want maternity coverage,” she said. “Some women might not want it.” This raises an eyebrow, especially when Sean Spicer chimed in, suggesting that a 54-year-old doesn’t need maternity care. Well, newsflash: many women of childbearing age don’t need the services that men receive either, but that’s not how insurance works. Classifying pregnancy as a pre-existing condition is a terrible idea since nearly half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned.
Chastain’s tweet sparked a wave of responses from men who seemed to miss the point entirely. One man asked what Trump’s healthcare plan had to do with him, and honestly, if it’s not affecting your access to necessary services, maybe just keep quiet? Chastain quickly pointed out the flaws in his argument.
Another guy popped in to claim that this isn’t about gender at all. Right! Because blocking women’s access to essential health benefits clearly has nothing to do with women. Then there was someone trying to divert the conversation back to feminism—classic mansplaining at its finest. Sorry, but I just rolled my eyes so hard I almost fell off my chair.
Thanks for your insights, but no, you’re wrong. And yes, that’s what’s frustrating about this entire exchange.
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In summary, Jessica Chastain continues to champion women’s health, exposing the ridiculousness of mansplainers who rush to offer their unsolicited opinions. It’s high time we listen to women when they speak up about their own health issues.