Madam, – If an article is meant to be satirical it should be obviously so and have an element of wit and sophistication about it; Newton Emerson’s article of February 25th was neither. I search in vain for a word stronger than disgust to describe how I feel about a newspaper of your calibre publishing such material.
The subversive nature of sexism in our society dictates that such an article could go to print; insert the word “Travellers”, or “refugees”, or “foreign nationals” instead of “women”, and no doubt national outcry would have ensued.
The snarl of male superiority, thinly yet cleverly veiled as a joke, must surely have turned the stomach or many of your readers, both male and female. Yet no doubt, should this letter appear, people around the country will collectively sigh that I cannot take a joke, when the reality is that the joke does not exist. It is not humorous that that half of the world’s population does not share an equal footing in society and I challenge anyone to argue that women do.
If economic downturn means attacking those most on the margins in society, I really do believe the years ahead shall be bleak and I urge those in positions of power in the media not to exploit the recession as a chance to promote regressive thinking. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I don’t know what Newton Emerson’s prejudices are, but I do remember 40 years ago, when it was proclaimed that allowing more women into the workplace would leave fewer jobs for men and was therefore anti-family. Mr Emerson is obviously satirising this mindset, so that nobody will now dare come out with such guff.
I think those who are appalled and offended should discard their victimhood and get a life. I am unemployed and dependent on my wife who works in the public service, so maybe I should be appalled on her behalf — she’s too busy. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The moment I read Newton Emerson’s article on working women, I knew the majority response would be po-faced indignation – most likely from women. In these days of dire, desperate dissertations on what has caused and what will solve our country’s dilemmas, Newton’s ironic piece was a welcome change. Lighten up, ladies. – Yours, etc,