Sir, – When I read Christina Cleary's opinion piece I was struck by how much trouble she goes to to be offended ("'Run like you left the immersion on!' – Everyday sexism and the mini-marathon", June 9th). But what really surprised me was the casual way in which she insulted some poor man who had the temerity to say something nice or encouraging to a complete stranger. This man whom she referred to as a "troglodyte" was there as a volunteer wearing a uniform of the Order of Malta for no other reason other than to help people who may have a medical difficulty and might need his help. I have no doubt that this man turns up week in week out at events like this all over Ireland for the service of others, giving his time for free.
Your writer might reflect on the fact that the very nature of the event in which she was taking part was, by its very nature, sexist. After all, no men are allowed to take part.
Regarding her distaste for some of the advertisements, all I can say is, welcome to our world. There is hardly an advertisement on either the television or radio that involves the interaction of men and women that does not portray the man as an imbecile and the woman as considered, calm and above all much smarter than her knuckle-dragging oaf of a partner. Maybe Christina Cleary should stop going quite so far out of her way to be offended. – Yours, etc,
AIDAN COYLE,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – May I suggest that Christina Cleary reads some world news or Amnesty reports to get a better idea of what “institutionalised sexism” really means. I don’t think a few innocuous slogans from people who turned out to support the women’s mini-marathon really qualifies. – Yours, etc,
EDNA McMINN,
Belfast.
Sir, – I could not agree more with Christina Cleary’s thoughts on institutionalised sexism and the mini-marathon. We could, however, begin to dismantle this kind of sexism by getting rid of such gender-based patronisation as calling a 10-kilometre run a “mini-marathon” in the first place. Exactly which part of 42 kilometres and 195 metres (the distance of a marathon) is “mini”? Can you seriously imagine a 10-kilometre race for men only referred to as a “mini” anything? – Yours, etc,
JUDITH GOLDBERGER,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.