Letters: Most men are like Lucy

GOOD grief! Women considered irredeemably evil for the slightest transgression? Men, whatever they have done, including child-killing, quite quickly forgiven on all sides? How did Lucy Ellmann get away with saying these things so baldly, without hiding behind phrases such as "dysfunctional families'' or "inadequate personalities'', as most people choose to do ("The world would be just perfect without women", 13 August)?

Her simple truths read like scorching polemic in the current climate, and because it's been quite some time since a national newspaper published such a realistic assessment of our impulse to play down and to excuse the range of damage which so many men do to us all. Ms Ellmann's column cheered me up just by its wit and accuracy.

Una Freeley

London N8