Gender gap?

I've noticed recently there is beginning to be a backlash against women which today's story about more women than men at universities will do nothing to quell. It appears more women go to university and do well than men who are more prone to dropping out. But men apparently still do better in the courses which are likely to lead to well paid jobs. So nothing new there then.

I haven't read all the media coverage of this story but I could pretty well write it myself. The tabloids will use it as a way of bashing women. Some of the broadsheets will see it as a positive thing while others will see it as a wider trend in society as a whole.

The story this week about women not being as happy as they were before the anti discrimination legislation in the 1970s prompted several articles in the Daily Mail in particular about women never being happy because the poor dears never really know what they want in the first place. I thought this sort of sexism went out with the ark. In my opinion women will never have equality until men play an equal part in child care and domestic chores without being asked and without being thanked. Yes I'm generalising but in my opinion this is why many women aren't happy - because they're now expected to do 3 full time jobs - bring up the kids, do the domestic stuff AND work.

I also noticed a footballer pontificating to the press about women's place in society though much of the media did not take this one up. He was advocating women not being allowed to drive at all though I don't remember him volunteering to do the school run. Someone posted a comment saying he personally would be much happier if women were not allowed to talk, vote and drive. So which bit of the Stone Age did he originate from?

David Starkey couldn't resist a spot of criticism of female historians feminising history and in particular Henry VIII. Probably because male historians have spent rather a long time air brushing women out of history, David, or hadn't you noticed?

As I've said before I do not subscribe to radical feminism but I also dislike the extreme views of some people (male and female) who suggest women should be kept at home and should confine their attentions to domestic chores and child rearing. There's more than a hint of this in the media coverage of female politicians at the moment.