Letters: Sep. 21, 1970

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Brace for the Whirlwind

Sir: "Hell knows no fury like a woman scorned." Man, you are paying for your immature notion that you prove manhood by sexual exploitation [Aug. 31]. You failed to understand woman's need for love, protection and companionship. The sexually liberated office girl or career woman mistook your lust for love and turned on you when she realized her mistake.

Your wife, aware of your infidelities and lack of interest, began to see her lot as slavery and her life as meaningless and dull.

Brace yourself, fragile man. You are reaping the whirlwind NOW.

GLORIA TAYLOR Denver

Sir: Equal pay for equal work? Fight like the devil for it. Burn your bras (if you don't sag). But, please, don't deny your femininity; it is a part of your significance as a human being (it is not nearly all of your worth, although some of my sex seem to think it is). And, I beg of you, do not throw your children into day-care centers; she (he) needs you. Rearing a child is no menial task, but is too momentous to be subordinated and too important to fail. Its importance and difficulty should be recognized, in fact.

Don't stop singing, Kate, take a sad song and make it better.

DOUGLAS L. THOMPSON Bethlehem, Pa.

Sir: You bet I'm a supporter of Women's Lib. I, a woman, worked my way at night through college and grad school; I now hold an M.S. degree and have a tenyear background of executive secretarial work in business and industry. Within the last year, I have worked my way up from secretary to acting head of a department in a medium-sized industry. However, I do not hold the title, and I earn $3,000 to $5,000 less than males holding jobs of less or similar responsibility, and who for the most part do not even hold a bachelor's degree.

It is no wonder that there are angry women demanding fairer treatment. I have to repress my anger because I am unable to find another job in management; and if I rock the boat here, I get fired. There are no calls for women in management regardless of capability, background or education. If I were a guy, I would be very much in demand. But being a woman, I have educated myself right out of the job market.

(Ms.) KAY B. KNOX Stamford, Conn.

Sir: Hold on there, gang, before this thing gets out of hand completely! As a woman, wife, mother and full-time student, I am all for equal job opportunities and equal pay, etc. But how about equal share of the blame for the position we're in? Each one of those "male-chauvinist-female-oppressors" had a mother, right? And she probably showed him just how it is done, right? As every freshman sociology major knows, mothers bear the lion's share of their children's "role identification." So, moms of the world, loosen the umbilical cord! You have nothing to lose but your kitchen privileges.

EDITH KANT NORTON Alplaus, N.Y.

Sir: This Women's Lib thing will relieve the male of an awful lot of his responsibilities, not only to his wife and family but also to himself. For that reason, I, as a man, welcome it with open arms and empty tranquilizer bottle.

GEORGE L. STRAYER JR. Fort Meade, Md.