The female of the species

Do women make better leaders? asks the BBC in its usual insufferably po-faced fashion. Angela Merkel, Michelle Bachelet, and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf are all mentioned, with a sub-text that if they fail male chauvinism will somehow be to blame rather than, for example, being crap or, in the case of Ms Johnson-Sirleaf, being a puppet for psychotic limb-chopping kleptocrats and crap.

I dare say the Beeb are hoping to lure a few neanderthal male chauvinist knuckledraggers out of their caves for some healthy ridicule, although I notice that the same short shrift is not applied to those who believe women are superior.

Some examples of successful female leaders are cited by the right-on crowd. I've taken the liberty of adding some of their crowning achievements in brackets:
- Queen Elizabeth I (religious genocide)
- Eleanor of Aquitaine (serial treason)
- Cleopatra (had her own brother murdered, then Paris Hiltoned her way through the Roman Civil Wars until forced to commit suicide)
- Roxanna (who? Is this meant to be Alexander's wife? She never ruled. Some mistake?)
- Empress Wu of China (who again? Whatever, she's a Chinese ruler, so something involving mass slaughter is a given)
And last but not least...
- Evita Peron (is this a joke? This woman was literally a fascist)

Strangely, Margaret Thatcher does not make the list.

The BBC guide to choosing your next national leader:


Wrong =>


Better


Oooh - just right. Lovely! =>


Aaaargh! No! Nooooo!