Sir, – Act I. As a highly talented writer married to a woman of the opposite sex and held in the highest esteem and a legend in my own home, I’m deeply conflicted by the Abbey imbroglio. Should I submit my latest masterpiece to Fiach Mac Conghail for consideration, thereby risking having my right-on republican and feminist credentials tarnished, or consign it to the attic and have it donated to the State with my other papers on my demise? Decisions, decisions.
Act II. I must look deeper into my heart and wrestle further with my conscience lest I block the path of some as yet unearthed talent of the majority sex. The interminable angst of the working artist deserves deeper, more long-winded analysis! – Yours, etc,
TOM FINN,
Ballinasloe, Co Galway.
A chara, – Step 1 : Identify a population where males outnumber females. Note that this should only apply to desirable groups such as radio presenters, judges, TDs, playwrights, professional Elvis impersonators, senators, senior counsel, circus strongpersons, government advisers, advertising executives, novelists and airline pilots. You must ignore situations which favour females or areas which are male-dominated but are, frankly, not so nice.
Step 2 : Conduct an audit to determine the magic number “X”. This is the outrageous percentage of males in the preferred group. This can be done via a simple adding process and is all the data you will ever need.
Step 3 : Assert that X the magic number can only be explained by the exclusion of and discrimination against women. No other cause can be entertained. In fact, to suggest there might be any other reason would be misogynistic.
Step 4 : Demand that “something be done”. This may include, as a regrettable last resort (even if it is actually the instant response), structural discrimination against men. This will be a temporary arrangement until the obvious injustice, as proven by X the magic number, is rectified.
The overwhelming majority of those who reach the top of Everest are men, which is entirely explained by the gender composition of those who start at the bottom. Perhaps these are silly things to try to do in the first place. However, that willingness to undertake risk might be a solid indicator as to why more men than women are willing to leave secure employment to start up their own businesses or enter the ludicrous world of politics.
If the 1916 theatre programme was some small self-organised event, many would be happy to say “Look, that’s men for you. Writing about 1916. They love all that stuff. We have better things to concern ourselves with when we write”. When it is in the Abbey, and beneficial to the writer, that is a different matter.
There is no in-the-round analysis when it comes to gender. Simply the highly selective application of the magic percentage. This lack of innovative thinking might be explained by the fact that gender studies departments in universities are dominated by not only one gender but by one jaded, repetitive and exclusionary ideology. If I were so crass as to push for gender quotas, that is where I would start. – Is mise,
DAVE SLATER,
Kilkea, Co Kildare.
Sir, – Between #MarRef, #repealthe8th, and #WakingTheFeminists, 2015 is turning into quite the year for progressive hashtags in Ireland. – Yours, etc,
NIALL McARDLE,
Eganville,
Ontario.
Sir, – The gender imbalance in the arts could be addressed very smartly if half the population withdrew their support,which I do not advocate.
One has only to view any audience in our theatres and at art exhibitions to determine that women are very much in the majority.
Women go to the theatre, but men are brought! – Yours, etc,
ELIZABETH WEIR,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – I’m definitely in favour of “waking the feminists ” in the traditional Irish meaning of the word “wake”. Then those of us who believe in true equality, as opposed to gender-biased political correctness, could get on with life in a world free from whining! – Yours, etc,
AILEEN HOOPER,
Stoneybatter,
Dublin 7.