Mumsnet full of inane females according to Petronella Wyatt

[scaryteacher]

www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9115575/The-state-penalises-women-who-are-childless-and-unmarried-I-might-be-single-but-Im-not-a-failure.html

Methinks she protests too much and should get out more. Isn't she the one that had a thing with Boris?

She seems to have a lot of idiotic friends (note many are men who have criticised her for being unattached and childless) who hail from the Middle Ages and think women are only worth anything if they are with a man or children. She hasn't got a terribly good group of friends and associates. She should find some friends who actually appreciate people for who they are. Methinks they are probably just very, very envious of her freedom and self sufficiency.

I agree wildfig - but it is all part of the same package I think.

To not be part of a couple and breeding appears to transgress against some deeply held cultural norm to the extent that many people I know appear to be prepared to put up with unhappy or stultifying relationships ... but at least they've bagged Their Man. Or, even better, that man has impregnated them and they have proved their worth.

Whereas as a single mother, my fertility is not in doubt but on the flip side of that, we get a lot of stick for being responsible for all the ills of society - pandering to men's base instincts in that we let them shag us without taking responsibility for us and then we raise hoards of feral children at taxpayers expense (Daily Mail tm)

It is interesting to wonder why this contempt and dislike for women who don't follow the conventional path? Is it part of the patriarcal hegemony to try to keep us in our place? Interestingly, only women have said really vile things to me but I guess that doesn't discount a patriarchal plot.

I can't believe she wants a reward for being childless; I would have thought she already had the greatest reward money can't buy: sleep! precious sleep!

Women are "persecuted" for being childless. Seriously? And, she'd be entitled to more benefits if she had a child . Who gave this gobshite space in a national 'newspaper'?

The article is very silly but there is a grain of truth in it! I am single, childless and middle-aged. This has not been through a positive choice/decision but just through circumstances. I have a great selection of friends, single, married, with and without children. I have a job I love and I enjoy being independent. As I have gone through my forties though I've been increasingly aware of what I can only describe as a "vibe" put out by many aspects of society that being single and childless and over 40 is, if not rather weird, at least less desirable than having a partner and/or child. It may not be expressly stated but it is there in adverts, and many other media portrayals. Everything is so very family-centric. It does give me a feeling sometimes that I am standing out from the "norm" and am somehow different and maybe less acceptable. (I'm not saying I actually believe this, just that it feels like this at times!) I did not notice this when I was younger and would not notice it now, I think, had I married and had children. Older single childless women are also often portrayed in fiction/drama as either career-mad narcissists or emotionally repressed and unattractive or desperate for Mr Right.

Well, maybe except for Miss Marple!

I agree with you sarah

I do see your point to some extent.

I was at an event recently for my sector, focusing on how we could become more appealing to minority groups - and one of the minority groups was 'families', which I was somewhat taken aback by. I was also interested to hear that research shows if there are children doing activities in an area (of a museum, etc), people without children will assume that it isn't meant for them, and will move quickly on.

I also agree with Sarah.

I would be interested to know what proportion of those heaping scorn on this article are married with children?

My bet is the majority. Just because It doesn't happen to you, doesn't mean it is not real.

Still very badly written though, Spero

• with ridiculous mad assemblage of statistics, anecdotes, and conclusions

I don't think it is the worst thing of hers I have ever read in terms of style!

But for me, that isn't the point. I do think there is something quite nasty going on in terms of attitudes to women and I think she makes a valid point, however floridly expressed.

Single with children here, and I think she troweled it on in such a fashion that she did her point no favours whatsoever. There is hardly any section of society that doesn't come in for some kind of bashing.