Feminists let own side down

ONE of the unarguable pillars of modern feminist creed is that women scientists face discrimination. Challenge that notion — as an Italian physicist, Professor alessandro Strumia, did during a speech at nuclear research organisation CERN — and you risk losing your reputation and livelihood.

Prof Strumia, who dared to question the idea of male dominance in science in front of a room of female physicists, saying physics was ‘becoming sexist towards men’, has now been suspended from CERN.

Is he factually wrong? I don’t know, I wasn’t at the lecture. But the idea that the topic can’t even be discussed without everyone reaching for the smelling salts certainly is.

If you don’t like what the man is saying, by all means challenge him as an equal on intellectual grounds. But don’t resort to foot- stomping and emotional blackmail. It really lets the side down.