Women Beg to Differ on Men’s ‘Lousy’ Deal

Exactly what planet has Warren Farrell been living on (“Men’s Advocate in a Woman’s World,” Jan. 26)? Is this the same planet where women are raped, beaten, abused, imprisoned and enslaved, simply because they are women? Is this the same planet where men possess the vast majority of wealth, control nearly all political power and commit the overwhelming majority of violent crimes? Is there an Afghanistan in Warren Farrell’s world, where women are subjugated to appalling restrictions and relegated to subhuman status?

Farrell seems to be complaining that men are not “allowed” to take care of children or “allowed” to be stay-at-home husbands. I am certain there are many women out there who are working full time, cooking, cleaning and taking care of the kids, who would be more than willing to “allow” their husbands to help.

I nearly fell out of my chair when I read that, if men could speak, “one of the things they might say is that for a long time, their gender has had a lousy deal.” Oh, my lord, I pray for such a lousy deal. And unless by “a long time,” Farrell means several thousands of years, I have little sympathy for the minor discomfort felt by men over the last few decades.

I’ve got a great idea, Mr. Farrell--let’s switch places. Not like in one of your silly workshops, but truly switch places, worldwide, for at least a couple of centuries. Then, if you don’t like it, we can always switch back. Or better yet, after a couple of centuries, then you can have a “men’s movement.”

--KERRI HAWKINS

Lakewood

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Male-bashing: women daring to tell the truth about the men who bash women.

Woman-bashing: men beating, stabbing, stalking, burning, raping and killing women, usually accompanied by the claim that the woman “made him do it.”

Now, I know not all men are like this. I was married once to a really nice man who never would have dreamed of hurting a woman. But as far as I’m concerned, Mr. Farrell can call himself a feminist until the cows come home, and it still won’t make him one. He’s just another woman-hating guy who blames women for men’s bad behavior and their refusal to take responsibility for it.

--S. MARLENE HEAD

Los Angeles