Loathing leering

I AM still fuming after reading Stan Hogarth’s letter (11 May) in response to Claire Kelly’s letter (10 May) about sexism, and the reference to the physical appearance of the women’s Olympic swimming team.

Mr Hogarth seems to think that anything women do to make themselves attractive is purely for the benefit of men.

This is old-fashioned, arrogant nonsense. While it’s true that most women like to look good for their partner or to make themselves feel more confident or better groomed, it’s offensive and wrong to state that “tottering on high heels” and “walking with a wiggle” is done by most women.

He seems to think it is hilarious to say that “men don’t usually leer, they drool”.

How many times do men need to be told that is not acceptable? Would he think it charmingly rogueish if it was targeted at the female members of his family? Perhaps he could ask them. Or does he live in a Benny Hill fantasy world?

M Donaldson

Leith Walk

Edinburgh

There has been a flurry of correspondence regarding your photograph of the Ladies’ Olympic Swimming Team last week.

Claire Kelly (Letters, 10 May) said it “turns my stomach to think of your male staff leering over pictures of women in swimsuits”, which makes me think that she must have been born in Queen Victoria’s reign if she thinks something so inoffensive could be seen as sexually titillating.

It seems in this day and age that men (especially white, heterosexual, middle-class, British men) can do no good.

We are the target of – well, everyone else, really – and Claire Kelly typifies the dysfunctional attitudes of our present-day society. However, just to humour the good lady, perhaps I should take a leaf from the Frankie Boyle book of politically-correct jokes and say: “What a bunch of old boots!” Does that make her happy?

Andrew HN Gray

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh