Is this misogyny masquerading as feminism?

EDITOR – In a recent RTÉ Morning Ireland interview, discussing the roll-out of ‘free contraceptives’ to young women, a National Women’s Council representative said that it was ‘important for gender equality’.

  This begs the question, equality with whom? Men presumably? Are men the standard, the measure, the universal template for all mankind both male and female, presumably because of their greater availability to fulfil employer’s preference for employees who have fewer pressing family responsibilities?

 What internalised misogyny this is, masquerading as progressive feminism!

 In reality, today’s women all too often feel pressurised into suppressing their innate fertility, inducing miscarriages, and viewing motherhood as a burden too onerous – at least until their biological clock can no longer be ignored.

 In the biological world ‘autotomy’ is the name given to the practice of some animals discarding a part of themselves, as for example may happen when a predator has caught hold of a lizard by its tail.

 It is well known that violence can be internalised, people adopt strategies of survival and adaptations some of which can be extreme.

 Is this the reality for us in Ireland today, under the guise of absolute autonomy, summed up in the catch cry ‘my body my choice’, when we have in fact, ditched every uniquely essential feminine attribute, as well as normal family living, such that the next generation so often fails to see the light of day?

 Do we need to urgently reassess how girls and boys are being schooled and the future they’re sold? 

Isn’t it time we shouted ‘enough of this, let’s be human, responsible, fully aware of our unique dignity as men and women’?

Gearóid Duffy,

Lee Road, 

Cork

Struck by the beauty of Beara’s Buddhist retreat

EDITOR – It is wonderful to see the glorious Tibetan Buddhist Temple take shape at Beara (‘Allihies community copper-fastens its connection with Buddhist Temple’, July 16th).

When I visited some years ago, I was struck by the natural beauty of the location and the serenity of the retreat centre. As I drove in, a marmalade cat lay asleep in the middle of the road. I had to stop the car. 

The cat opened its eyes briefly, looked straight at me, and went back to sleep.

I have much to learn from that cat.

Brendan Kelly

Islandbridge

Dublin 8

Confused about new planning bill

EDITOR – THE Irish Self-Catering Federation is very concerned about the introduction of the Department of Housing’s rushed introduction of the Planning and Development Bill.

This bill has been introduced before clear guidelines for planners and STR (short term rentals) owners have been published – which has been requested to support members who are finding variable interpretations of the regulations throughout the county councils.  

Some of our members are confused as they know a register for STRs is also coming into place. My question is: who will do the enforcement and how soon after September 1st will it start? 

The Department of Housing is looking at legislation to cover rental up to 14 days. This will still leave a loophole of 14 days to six months’ rental – which also needs to be covered by the STR rental agreements.

Máire Ní Mhurchú

Chair Irish Self Catering Federation

Durrus

West Cork

Are there none so blind as dairy farmers?

EDITOR –Recently, on a road in West Cork, I witnessed a long line of Friesian cows being brought in for the evening milking. The udders of some cows where so unnaturally swollen and heavy that their teats were brushing the surface of the road as the stumbled along. One unfortunate cow slipped on dung and collapsed under the weight of her milk load. The farm workers lashed her mercilessly and pulled her by the head to try and get her on her feet again. She staggered on, slipping and sliding, towards the farm.

 Is this unusual? Is it a sign of a successful dairy farmer?

Contrary to the myth promulgated by the IFA/ICMSA lobby, Irish dairy farmers do not produce food. They produce milk, which is exported as baby formula to lactose-intolerant babies in Asia. The cows suffer, the environment is degraded, and the emissions the herd produces contribute significantly to the warming of the planet’s atmosphere.

God only knows what this behaviour is doing to the minds of Irish dairy farmers. Does it not dawn on them that this is unnatural?  

Perhaps it explains why large dairy farmers don’t get it. 

It is difficult to reach farmers whose income depends on them ignoring the consequences of their own actions. 

There are none so blind as those who will see.

Is mise le meas,

Seán Ó Floinn,

Bóthar na Sceach

(Skehard Road)

Corcaigh