This sexist assumption that women are weaker. It’s right, isn’t it

There is something a little dispiriting about the furore over the Olympic women’s beach volleyball competition. Howls of anguish have greeted the suggestion that if our weather does its usual business in August, and rains, the nubile young women will feel inclined to dress in the manner of the Saudi women’s team, i.e. swathe themselves in clothing. Apparently ‘men’ are outraged at this prospect, having looked forward to watching four pairs of breasts bouncing up and down like excited puppies for a few moments. Really? I suppose if they were to stage the event in my back garden I might peer out of the window from time to time. But if it were held in, say, my neighbour’s garden, I don’t think I would drag myself from my desk to watch. I might tell people that I was going to pop round, just so as to appear normal — phwoar, women’s beach volleyball, I’ll certainly be borrowing a lot of cups of sugar in the next few days etc — but the prospect doesn’t excite me very much, in all honesty.