Madam, - More than two months ago, Kevin Myers wrote about a horrific abuse case and the inadequate response to it by various State agencies. He called for an inquiry (as he had done a year previously) and especially challenged feminists to seek answers on behalf of the women involved.
Two feminists did indeed respond to his column: Joanna McMinn, director of the National Women's Council (June 14th), and Gemma Hussey (June 9th). Both ignored the substantive issue he raised, and instead dismissed him because of his comments on feminists. The same thing happened more recently, when the one response to his contribution of August 8th to the debate on contraception for 11-year-olds (from Nicola Reeves August, 12th) again ignored the content of his piece, and instead attacked him for his reference to the "triumphalist feminist agenda".
Is there some unfortunate work-experience student sitting in some dimly-lit office somewhere, charged with going through Mr Myers's columns with a fine-tooth comb to pass on any mention of the word "feminist" to somebody in a position to pen a rebuke? I find it increasingly disturbing that feminists, especially those claiming to work on behalf of women suffering abuse, can ignore the issues raised by a journalist simply because he challenges their agenda.
Have any of them followed up on his call for an inquiry? I have certainly not read or heard that they have. And if not, why not? In her letter, the director of the National Women's Council wrote: "It is not the responsibility of feminists to maintain [ Kevin Myers] in his job; we do, on the other hand, recognise that he regularly demonstrates the need for ours." Surely part of their job is to do what he requested? Can their failure to do so really be because he was the one who drew attention to this matter?
Gemma Hussey, indeed, suggested as much in her letter when she stated that "he can't be too surprised that sometimes, when he writes a serious and well-written, well-researched article, it is ignored".
Surely that statement alone should have our alarm bells ringing about the feminist agenda? It is becoming clear that the ideology is more important than the victims in all of this. - Yours, etc,
MÁIRE GARVEY, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.