Focus on gender bias is fuelled by political correctness

When I read the review of the conference to discuss gender discrimination in favour of the male, I found it difficult to comprehend why anyone had spent the time and money organising such an event (DW, Voxpop, 6 July).

I found it just as difficult to believe the statistics, as my own experience – and that of those I have spoken to since reading the article – is very different to what I read.

I can only assume the event was arranged with more interest in political correctness than in the good of the design industry.

I don’t have any statistics to back me up, but the experience I have gained in the past 30 years of receiving applications from graduates and those with design qualifications most certainly indicates that there are more females than males coming into our industry.

I can also see female designers reaching senior positions in consultancies, such as team leaders, design office managers and creative directors.

However, I suspect there will be fewer female principals in design consultancies than male, but I doubt that is anything whatsoever to do with gender discrimination.

It is far more likely to be the male being prepared to commit to the borrowing, and possibly being more prepared to offer personal security than a female.

I also suspect that motherhood may arrive at a time when a female creative director could well be considering moving onwards or upwards into a principal position, but may be deterred from accepting the responsibility that the role demands.

I get heartily fed up with political correctness and positive discrimination, and I see absolutely no evidence of gender discrimination in the design industry whatsoever.

Barry Stedham, Jamieson Smith Associates, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2HN