‘I don’t enjoy women’s company’

Single estate agent Cindy Cottrell, 32, lives with her son Cory, 14 (pictured), in Birmingham. She says, “I’ve always preferred the company of boys. From a young age I was very sporty and competitive and those were traits boys seemed to appreciate more than girls. I’m very opinionated and, when I was at high school, the girls complained that I was scary. Maybe my mistrust of women stems from that, but I find them bitchy and complicated, and don’t enjoy spending time with them. People imagined I’d want more female company when I had my son Cory, but I didn’t. I went to one playgroup and loathed every second. The mums at the school gates have never taken to me and vice versa. I don’t know if they might be jealous or feel threatened because I’ve got fake boobs and blonde hair!

“My ideal night out is at the pub with a group of blokes to watch sport. We indulge in banter, which they never take personally, unlike women. I’m single, and previous boyfriends have struggled with me spending time with men, but I’m not going to change. Despite not wanting to hang out with women, I would never snog someone else’s man – not because of some so-called sisterhood, but because it’s wrong to hurt someone else. I’m sure people think I’m missing out, but my male friends are what I need. If I need advice, they will give me practical counsel, which is more valuable than someone telling me what I want to hear.”