"THE SUNLIT HOUR"

New Zealand Listener, Volume 34, Issue 874, 4 May 1956, Page 5

"THE SUNLIT HOUR"

Sir-How extremely distressing and embarrassing for us women are the hysterical outcries of outraged feminists in your correspondence columns of late. Sceptical males all over the country who had never really forsaken their traditional patronising attitude towards female intellectual endeavour are shrugging their shoulders and exchanging quizzical smiles in the most maddening way, A mere man has dared to criticise a woman artist’s work and even suggested that women as artists may have their own special problems to cope with--their emotional situation may not be quite identical with that of the male artists. Preposterous! We do not agree -plainly the man means we are inferior and equally plainly that we must defend ourselves. But not by logical analysis of the speakers’ words, of course, nor by reasoned argument. These are weapons of masculine intellect (sometimes!). Women have centuries of experience (mainly domestic) in another method. Take a strong conviction (not necessarily correct), express in highly toned effective words and phrases. Add some vague assertions and a few sweeping generalisations, exaggerate madly and serve quickly without too much thought. My relief that at least one of the correspondents has said her last word on the subject is beyond measure. May I recommend to her Susan Stebbing’s excellent book, Thinking to Some Purpose, before she embarks on the defence of any other member of her sex (and mine)?

FEMININE ANTI FEMINIST

(Oamaru).

(This correspondence is now closed.- Ed.)