Britain: One for the Boys

Britain's House of Lords was debating a knotty problem: whether or not to lower from 21 to 18 the age at which a man may marry without parental consent. Finally, up stepped that superfeminist and onetime minister under Clement Attlee, Lady Summerskill, 67, to oppose the measure and put the issue in perspective: "Although your lordships know that I try to promote the interests of my sex frequently in this House, on this occasion I am biased in favor of the boy. I know the power of my sex when they are young. One has only to look at them in the street. Look at these magnificent girls with their marvelous miniskirts and their straight legs walking along the street full of confidence—and the poor little boys, with their whiskers, desperately trying to show these magnificent mini-skirted creatures that they are her equal. They are more immature than the girl, and if we pass this measure we are going to put a great burden on this boy's shoulders. For heaven's sake, let us give the boy a chance!" Apparently, she was convincing: the Lords passed an amendment only dropping the age to 20.