Feminist cry rings untrue 1

Sally Feldman seems very sure of her facts ("Don't celebrate yet, girls", 13 August). She assures us that it is "clearly not the case" that her female-dominated media courses discriminate against male candidates. On the other hand, she is equally sure there are "plenty of obstacles discouraging girls from studying engineering and science". I wonder what her colleagues in science, technology, engineering and maths at the University of Westminster would say about this?

Why is one imbalance the result of personal choice but the other discrimination? I suppose feminists have to cry "discrimination" as they have dismissed the more likely explanation - gender differences in preferences and the distribution of particular abilities. The fact that many find this unpalatable, even unthinkable, does not mean it cannot be true.

Dredging up silly remarks made by men in the past proves nothing: they, like her, were expressing what was commonly thought at the time. Research ought to be welcomed by anyone who is confident of their case, as they should expect to be vindicated by it. I am pleased to be part of the "backlash".

Dave Kimber, Cambridgeshire.