A Woman Of Many Parts

‘Men score over us women in this amazing power they have: they don’t notice anything needs doing’

- Allison Pearson

I’ve been thinking about this huge advantage men have over women. There’s the larger salary for doing exactly the same job. Oh, and not having to join a queue of 49 during the interval at the theatre because you can wee standing up. But that’s not the advantage I’m talking about here. No, where men really score over us women is in this amazing power they have: they don’t notice anything needs doing.

If you’re female you never stop noticing. From the second we wake up to the moment we’re boneless with exhaustion and heading to bed, our empathy receptors are attuned to the needs of others. The Mommy Brain That Never Sleeps constantly presses the servants’ bell. Ding! Did I put Tom’s soccer kit in the dryer? Ding! Did I get the lasagne out of the freezer? Ding! And what’s this note you just found in a school bag? Oh no, tomorrow is Book Character Day. “Please send your child in appropriate dress.”