There are several things men can do that women can’t. Grow a decent beard, for instance. Wee standing up. Go topless in public (although, frankly, that’s usually ill-advised). But these are physical differences. In terms of intelligence, ambition and skill, it is generally accepted that men and women are on an equal footing. It is 2010, after all.
However, in recent weeks, high-profile men have spoken out about women’s inability to do certain jobs as well as men. Last month, Ceri Thomas, editor of Radio 4’s Today programme, defended the lack of female presenters on the show by saying that ‘it’s just too tough an environment’.
He went on to explain that there are more women on the BBC News Channel ‘because those are slightly easier jobs. The skill set that you need to work on the Today programme and the hide that you need, the thickness of that, is something else. It’s an incredibly difficult place to work.’
As if being too thin-skinned to host a current affairs programme weren’t enough, the author Bret Easton Ellis has claimed that women don’t make good film directors.
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary — Jane Campion, Andrea Arnold and Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow, anyone? — Ellis claims we don’t have the ability to be ‘aroused by looking’. Why? Because of ‘how they’re built’, apparently. It’s worth noting that the film adaptation of his book, American Psycho (pictured), was directed by Mary Harron. Yes, a woman.
But does Ellis have a point? Yesterday’s Woman’s Hour had an interview with headteacher Dave Strudwick about how neuroscience has found that boys and girls learn differently, and should be taught accordingly.
Does this prove that there more inherent differences between the sexes than we are willing to admit? What do you think?
Comments
I agree with Jo, there’s loads of things that women tend to be better at. Generally anything that involves communicating and caring, it may be a cliche but it’s still got some truth to it (and yes I know some men are more caring and some women more power hungry, good luck to them!). I can’t help thinking sometimes that if it was mainly women in governments perhaps we wouldn’t be involved in so many wars as the focus would be more on negociating and trying to sort things out. To me the main reason women don’t want these high powered jobs is that their priorities are perhaps a bit more sensible. Who wants stress all day, and no chance to see your family and friends?!
How offensive! what about the other side of this debate – jobs that women are better than men at? Such as any of the caring professions. I know very few male therapists, nurses, support workers… I work in customer service and several men who were moved to my team from the engineering world fell to pieces trying to cope with this equally tough environment. Men don’t manage too well having to look after children either – how many women have had calls of panic and stress from their partners/husbands when they were left with the children for the day? I’m always horrified that so-called “men’s” jobs are always seen to be superior to “women’s” jobs. Not the case. Women are incredibly strong – we have to be, we have to share the planet with men!