Need for Diversity on Op-Ed Pages

I recently attended a workshop for psychology professionals on gender discrimination in the workplace. Inevitably perhaps, one of the few male participants commented that, in seeking to overcome oppression, frequently the oppressed become the oppressors.

Michael Kinsley put a different spin on this idea in his March 20 commentary, “Girl Problems in Op-Ed Land,” when he described his dilemma as editorial and opinion editor: In trying to remedy discrimination against one group, he is unavoidably put in the position of discriminating against another (but never white males, who were left off Kinsley’s list of potential “discriminees”).

The problem with this thinking is that it is totally paralyzing and presents an easy excuse for inaction, all of which serves the purposes of those in power quite nicely.

We are one of the world’s great societies because we believe that discrimination against people for who they are is wrong, not because we always succeed in diminishing its impacts.

As he goes about his duties, Kinsley could bear in mind that in many worthwhile endeavors, the striving toward the goal, and not the goal itself, is ultimately what changes hearts and minds.

Angela Lewis Houle

Psychologist

Rolling Hills Estates

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As usual, I had difficulty with what Kinsley was really saying. I did understand his last paragraph, though, about the need for more diverse female voices represented in the opinion sections of our newspapers. I agree with him, but he left one minority voice out -- mine: the aging female.

We older women want to be heard and we have our mainstream issues too. But there isn’t anyone on the scene to represent us.

The woman who helped to lead the modern feminist revolution, Gloria Steinem, is silent. Without her major influence, the current dialogue about women and work wouldn’t even be taking place in newspapers and at Harvard.

Gloria, come back to journalism, and take up the banner of your contemporaries -- we are truly the forgotten woman.

Libby Wein

Los Angeles

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Who says there aren’t diverse voices on your Op-Ed page? Kinsley was fawning, offensive, defensive, hostile, arrogant, righteous, contrite and acquiescent all in one lousy column. And still he had nothing to say.

Amy Huggins

Los Angeles