From Serena Williams to Angela Merkel, the new 007 to Kamela Harris, strong women are changing the world. And now evidence is growing that it might actually be men who are the weaker sex. A recent study showed that in famines, epidemics and enslavement women survive longer than men. And throughout life they survive disease better than men - 50% more men died from Covid. While across all cultures women live longer. Of the 43 people living over the age of 110, 42 are women. Yet still the idea persists that women need men to protect them. And it is not for example seen as problematic that men are called up to fight in Ukraine while women are encouraged to seek sanctuary.
Is it time to give up the notion that women are weaker and need to be defended by men? What changes should we make to social organisation to reflect this? Or is this shift not only misguided but profoundly detrimental to women?