No, Surely Modern Feminists Don't Come Across This Way. Do They?

Helen Whitehouse on pocket money 'gender imbalance':

Research has shown boys get more pocket money than girls even from a very young age, most likely because they simply ask for more. Although it might be a complete coincidence and something parents don’t realise they are doing, it’s clearly something perpetuated for the rest of our lives.

Clearly... *rolls eyes*

I, along with most women I know, see arrogant guys who through their bulldozer technique in approaching professional contacts have succeeded in getting places female counterparts have not – if only because their approach and lack of gratitude left a trail of destruction for the rest of us to try to piece back together before trying ourselves.

"Waah! Waaah! Mummy, he's got all the good toys! S'not faaaaaiiirrr!"

Even as someone at the beginning of their career, I’ve had it drilled into me to be passionate, but patient. Don’t annoy people, don’t send too many emails. And as every normal human being knows, say thank you at the first opportunity.

Yet in my experience women who take this approach are shunned in favour of men who go in all guns blazing and near-enough demand access. You want them not to succeed, just once, to be taken down a peg or two, but it will never happen.

"Curses! Won't someone rid me of these troublesome men?"

Instead of teaching girls to shy away when they think something isn’t fair, we need to tell them to speak up. Whether they come across as spoilt or unlikeable shouldn’t be an issue when they think they see something unjust.

Spoilt and unlikeable? Gosh. Why ever would you think that, Helen?