I went along to my daughter’s school speech day a few years ago. The main speaker, an old girl, is a young pilot. She flies commercial jets, the kind most of us use routinely.

She described the response of one female passenger who, when she saw that the pilot was not only a woman but also blonde, asked to leave the plane before the doors were closed.

I hope for so much for the children I encounter – boys and girls. I hope that they will grow up to be who and what they want.

And interestingly, when – as a diplomat’s brat – I was jetting to and from boarding school, I aspired to be a member of the cabin crew. I liked the uniforms and the idea of looking after people. Flying seemed a glamorous life.

Here is an article from (you’ve guessed) the Guardian that focuses on female commercial pilots. It fills me with some hope as well as frustration.

The comments are interesting, including one ‘essentialist’ view:

I don’t think this is a sexism thing. Its just that girls and boys are different. The grow up wanting different things.

What do you think?