Sir, - Having listened to the debate concerning the image on the recent cover of Business and Finance, and having seen this cover for myself, I would like to thank Ms Olive Braiden of the Rape Crisis Centre and Ms Roisin McDermott of Women's Aid, and the many other women and men who have spoken out and raised their voices in protest.
I realise that there are people who have difficulty in understanding why such an image should cause deep offence. One explanation could be that images such as the one portrayed should not be looked at in isolation, but in the context of the overall culture prevailing in Ireland today, and as Ms McDermott has said, "we are living in a climate of extreme violence against women".
I have observed that when a woman makes a legitimate protest, by way of a put down, she is often accused of being "hysterical" or part of a "minority articulate group". Expressing oneself with feeling is an admirable trait and with regards to the latter, it is time that it was realised that being articulate is not the prerogative of one half of the human race!
Finally, I would like to comment on Kevin Myers's recent article in which he once again berated feminists for not speaking out against every known injustice. Contrary to popular belief, women's time is not elastic, and most women, irrespective of their status, are busy caring for their families, young and old, and often both at the same time, while also being actively involved in their local communities. Feminism, one of the many social movements which emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, never claimed to be the new redeemer, and cannot save the world as well. - Yours etc.,
Glendale Meadows, Leixlip,
Co Kildare.