CT Wong's letter 'Need a spider move around like a fly?' (Nov 2) uses the same old stereotypical arguments used by many chauvinists to keep women "in their place".

Part of Wong's argument goes something like this. Men and women are different. There are things that women can do that men can't and vice versa. There can never be equality between the sexes as we are comparing apples and oranges.

But where is this list of things either sex can do better than the other? Apart from some biological functions such as giving birth (and with reproductive technology this will change too), in a modern world there are fewer and fewer tasks that separate men from women be it in the business world, technical fields or even in the military.

Women are proven to be better jet fighter pilots than men with faster reaction time and ability to handle greater gravitational forces and make better judgements (less collateral damage). We cannot and should not judge someone based on their race, ethnicity, religion and now gender.

The examples given by Tan such as siring children or marrying after 40 or family pressures at 35 and many other examples given are mere cultural and social baggage that perhaps should be done away with by both men and women.

What Tan fails to realise is that the "Western" women's movement that he seems to condemn is not so much about equality (although that term is used) as it is about choice. Women must be given the choice to do what they wish to do in whatever field they want including being wives and mothers if that is their choice. Tan is correct when he says that we all have our strengths and abilities but this must be seen as individuals not as genders.

A famous advert in Singapore went something like this: "Fathers. Don't pigeon-hole your daughters". Young girls (and young boys for that matter) must be raised to believe that women can do anything they set their minds to.

Separating men from women in queues and in school and treating women as helpless creatures in need of men's protection just promotes these ideas that women are only suited for certain roles. Having political party leaders reinforce these roles does not help either.

Obviously I am one of those "morally bankrupt" westerner males who believes that women are my equals not my inferiors or property. My sister grew up being told that she was capable of anything she set herself to and now she works in a field of science of which I have little comprehension. She remains single and active in both outdoor and indoor activities and is a published writer. I am very proud of her! Fathers, please don't pigeon-hole your daughters!