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A Feminist’s Take

Susan Brownmiller speaks out about mental health

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Sir: As a feminist I am indeed concerned with biology, sexuality and the incidence of mental illness and crime. What does TIME — and Lionel Tiger — make of the following statistics? According to the U.S. Public Health Service, the actual suicide rate of American males is 2½ times that of females; according to the FBI, the number of males arrested for homicide is over five times the number of females; and according to the National Institute of Mental Health, males outstrip females in first admissions to state mental hospitals by a ratio of 3 to 2. Do you think an imperfect male biology is at work 365 days of the year?

Susan Brownmiller, MANHATTAN