Rebecca Solnit’s article (Which woman hasn’t been bombarded by unsolicited help from men?, 20 October) will strike a chord with many women. But it’s not men alone who labour under the misapprehension that women can’t manage to get anything “important” done on their own. One of my bank accounts is in joint names with my husband. The bank regularly sends emails to each of us – inviting my husband to consider investments and private banking, and me to think about insurance.
Do all banks still presume the man to be in charge of making the most of joint money, leaving the woman to deal with home and family matters? It’s certainly not the case for us, and one day I shall point this out to the bank.
Name and address supplied
• Reading Rebecca Solnit’s article, I felt the need to scream at the sudden appearance of menopause experts everywhere. It’s good that it’s no longer a taboo subject, but I now have gym instructors mansplaining to me what the menopause means for me, what the effects are and how to manage it – regardless of the fact that I’m 20 years past that.
I know I need to take care of my joints and bones, and have been doing so for some time. It’s yet another example of men taking ownership of the expertise about how we should live with what is an inevitable part of ageing.
Anne Strong
Sheffield
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