Madam, - I write in support of Fionuala Christodoulide's letter (October 16th) criticising the constant emphasis on girls' academic achievements to the detriment of boys' with headlines such as "Gender gap: how girls outperformed boys". This, she believes, creates a situation that may lead to the feeling that "there is no use in [ boys] working hard, in doing their best at school, because they are constantly being told (and in big headlines) that girls do better".
However, I believe the problem is even more serious. The "deconstruction" of male values gathers pace. Culture is everywhere becoming more feminised. Male psychology is frequently deemed inherently aggressive and reactionary, the source of violence in the home and in society. Physical strength, reserve, stoicism, control, objectivity must cede ground wholesale to emotivism, subjectivity, feelings and communication skills in an age of networking and interactivity.
There is an unquestioned assertion that masculinity is a "social construct" which can therefore be re-constructed, re-branded in a much more feminised version.
Seen from a long trajectory, this is a very radical and successful project that is now in an advanced stage and probably unstoppable. All that may be possible now is to enable men, through "masculinity programmes" to manage and negotiate more gracefully their own disappearance.
Has this process got anything to do with male suicide running at four times that of female suicide? - Yours, etc,
ROB WEATHERILL, Crosthwaite Park East, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.