Divorce Case

Re “Ex-Wife to Pay for Hiding Lack of Desire for Husband,” April 8:

If I sued every man who claimed to love me in order to receive sexual favors, I would be rich indeed; so would most women. How many girls are talked out of their virginity with promises of love, fidelity and marriage, only to be left holding the baby while “he” sorts out his “feelings”?

It never fails to amaze me the double standard our society has for the shortcomings of women. Bonnette Askew was penalized by humiliation and a stiff fine for not being “clear” and sparing her husband’s feelings. In the Middle Ages, women were stoned as witches if their men were impotent. History is littered by billions of babies conceived in “love” only to be deserted by men who didn’t feel that way the next day toward their mothers.

Bonnette Askew was fined more than most rapists and child molesters; she is paying more than most fathers pay in child support their entire lives to women and children they “never loved, or do not love any more.” If Ronald Askew doesn’t want to pay money to be free of his marriage, fine, but to win money over something as unpredictable as love, is cowardly indeed. If this case sets a precedent, it will probably be used to benefit men. If women try to sue because of men lying to them about love, they will be blamed for not being pretty enough or understanding enough, or just plain stupid for falling for a lie.

STEPHANIE GEORGIEFF

Orange