Surprise, gender differences are real

RE: ARE SUNDRESSES THE REASON WOMEN DON’T CYCLE? (JUNE 20)

It is amusing to watch progressives wrestle with social questions these days. Observing a gaping gender difference in the highly progressive sport of cycling, Councillor Lloyd Ferguson asked why that was, offering as a reason women’s preference for wearing sundresses in summer caused them to be uncomfortable riding bikes.

The chattering classes immediately exploded. Ferguson was being his usual sexist, racist, homophobic, Islamophobic deplorable self, they argued. However, ad hominem attacks on the questioner are not answers to the question, and, sheepishly, they finally admitted it. If they hadn’t women’s preference for sundresses was the only reason on offer to explain the disparity.

Finally, the progressives settled on women’s perceptions of safety being different from that of men accounted for the difference in ridership. Men tend to be more physically reckless than women, and the lack of safe bike paths made women less likely to bike. That is the answer.

And so, the cause of gender difference in bike riding in Hamilton is due to — gender differences. A factor progressives labour mightily to deny either exists or ought to exist.

Progressives, you owe Councillor Ferguson an apology. Vincent J. Curtis, Hamilton