Dismissed rugby players are the product of a society that still discriminates against women

THE post-trial debate rolls on and I would like to ask a question. Undoubtedly, the behaviour of Messers Jackson and Olding was reprehensible. However, I would ask why these two young men are being subjected to this witch-hunt when they are just products of the society into which they were born?

For hundreds of years, women were deemed to be the property of their fathers/husbands, with no civil rights. It is still less than 100 years since women, after much suffering, won the right to vote.

More recently, many august employers, for example the Civil Service and all the banks, including the Bank of Ireland, dismissed all of their female employees when they married.

Indeed, how many of those who chose career over marriage reached high office?

Today, in 2018, we have the BBC (and, apparently, many — if not most — employers) still underpaying their female employees.

Consider the Christian churches. Women are still discriminated against in virtually every denomination. Even when the ordination of women is permitted, conscience clauses still allow their male colleagues to undermine them and deny them parity.

How can these two young men be sent into exile because they have both just followed the example of their leaders?

As a woman, I am more offended by the actions of the BBC and attitudes of the churches than the juvenile, smutty private chat between friends.