Nicholas Laughlin's blog etc.

Jonathan asks, Where are the women columnists in the Express?

I've just been reading both the Sunday Express and Guardian online editions, and going through their respective lists of columnists, I find myself asking this question. The Guardian has, of a Sunday and during the week, Kris Rampersad, Ira Mathur, Atillah Springer, Debbie Jacob (who was with the Express) and Dana Seetahal, as well as its men columnists. The Express has Lloyd Best, Raoul Pantin, Raffique Shah, Martin Daly, Kevin Baldeosingh, Tony Deyal, Keith Smith ... all men; no women.

He forgets Mary King, whose column usually appears in the Monday Express, but his point is a good one. You'd think that a paper with women in its top editorial positions (Sunity Maharaj, editor in chief, & Omatie Lyder, Sunday editor) would be slightly more mindful of this disparity; but it doesn't even stop the paper printing the occasional sexist headline either.