In a gender-neutral society, masculinity and femininity are at stake, says the writer

As a chronicler of characters such as Scott of Antarctica and Ernest Shackleton, Joanna Grokhovich knows a couple of things about machismo.

But modern society “avoids masculinity,” he warned this week.

“I find it very worrying that we are moving towards a gender-neutral society where gender-specific qualities are not valued,” he said.

“As we avoid masculinity, I think we also avoid femininity.”

He spoke during a discussion with Major-General Patrick Cordingley, who led the 7th Armored Brigade, called Desert Rats, during the First Gulf War, to an audience at the Charke Valley History Festival.

She spoke of Joan Rhodes, who became known as a strong woman in the 1950s. He was able to bend iron rods, raise his ankles, but he was “very attractive” and had a 22-inch waist.

After being abandoned by his parents, he lived on the streets of London at the age of 14 with buskers, which taught him to be “strong”.

Major General Cordingley said. “She was a good lady. He had this horribly bad upbringing that fixed his whole idea of ​​what to do in the world.

“Is that masculine?” Mrs. Grokhovich answered. “I do not mind a woman being called a man. I think Joan is a classic example of someone who embodies both [manliness and femininity]. And why can’t we celebrate? He traveled the two worlds, in fact he was incredibly successful.

“You do not have to be an open muscle to be a man, you just have to have self-confidence, be able to hold your place, be able to openly express your opinion.”