Neil Lyndon
Encyclopedia
Neil Alexander Lyndon (born 1946) is a British journalist and writer who has written for every "quality" newspaper in Britain. Lyndon's 1992 book, "No More Sex War: The Failures of Feminism" was the world's first radical, egalitarian, and progressive critique of the subject. He is currently the motoring correspondent for The Sunday Telegraph.
, Horsham
.
In 1965, Lyndon became the first student from a comprehensive school to be awarded an unconditional place at Cambridge University. At university he took a job in a scrap yard and later in light engineering. Having flirted with communism as a teenager and having been a committed member of CND
he rapidly became involved with radical left-wing politics at Cambridge. He took part in many demonstrations and sit-ins and after his graduation he co-founded of The Shilling Paper, a radical weekly. In 1969, he joined the editorial board of the underground paper The Black Dwarf. Years later, in 2007 he wrote in The Sunday Times
of his shame at how he had "once toasted mass murderers, torturers and totalitarian despots", particularly as he had distant relatives in Czechoslovakia
.
, as well as for The Times
, The Independent
, the Evening Standard
and others. He wrote columns, profiles and feature articles covering a wide variety of issues such as politics, sport, music and books
, education and health research, "an atmosphere of intolerance surrounded men", blaming this intolerance on "the universal dominance of feminism". It later emerged that female writers at The Times had attempted to have the article censored, although this was unsuccessful they instead wrote a derogatory article about Lyndon in the magazine's "Style" section.
Rather than addressing the issues and arguments raised by Lyndon, most critics instead chose to abuse him personally. They suggested he was sexually inadequate, questioned the size of his penis, his masculinity, his ability to attract women and even the smell of his breath. Almost two decades later feminist writer Julie Burchill
continued the attack, suggesting he was a "sad-sack" and "the opposite of a man". In a review of book of the year, Helena Kennedy refused to even discuss the publication, simply instructing people not to buy it.
Even more serious abuses of Lyndon were to come such as an assault
at Heathrow Airport. At Cambridge university, Lyndon's Alma-mater, the female president of the student's union encouraged students to burn his writings and a Don
told her pupils that she would like to see him shot
.
Lyndon was shunned by friends
Eight years after the controversy, Lyndon revisited some of the issues in his book and discussed his story. He highlighted the issues in relation to "the treatment of dissidents in what is supposed to be an open society". Whilst not comparing his plight to the coetaneous case of Salman Rushdie, he suggested it was "paradoxical that many of the people who defended Rushdie's right to write whatever he wanted should be so censorious and destructive about wanting to limit my freedom to do the same".
.
, Scotland
. Lyndon also has a son from a previous marriage.
Early life
Born in 1946, Lyndon grew up in the Sussex Weald, a rural area. He attended Collyer's schoolThe College of Richard Collyer
The College of Richard Collyer, or Collyer's, is a coeducational sixth form college in Horsham, West Sussex, England.-Admissions:Collyer's serves about 1600 students between 16 and 19 years of age. It offers AS and A-level courses in 45 different subjects, including a selection not taught at other...
, Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
.
In 1965, Lyndon became the first student from a comprehensive school to be awarded an unconditional place at Cambridge University. At university he took a job in a scrap yard and later in light engineering. Having flirted with communism as a teenager and having been a committed member of CND
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
he rapidly became involved with radical left-wing politics at Cambridge. He took part in many demonstrations and sit-ins and after his graduation he co-founded of The Shilling Paper, a radical weekly. In 1969, he joined the editorial board of the underground paper The Black Dwarf. Years later, in 2007 he wrote in The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
of his shame at how he had "once toasted mass murderers, torturers and totalitarian despots", particularly as he had distant relatives in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
.
1980s journalism
Lyndon was a successful journalist in the 1980s, writing for the "Atticus" column in The Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, as well as for The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
and others. He wrote columns, profiles and feature articles covering a wide variety of issues such as politics, sport, music and books
Early writings on feminism
Lyndon first focused on gender issues in a 1990 essay for the Sunday Times Magazine entitled "Badmouthing". The 5,000 word piece argued that, in advertising, entertainment, the news media, family lawFamily law
Family law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues and domestic relations including:*the nature of marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships;...
, education and health research, "an atmosphere of intolerance surrounded men", blaming this intolerance on "the universal dominance of feminism". It later emerged that female writers at The Times had attempted to have the article censored, although this was unsuccessful they instead wrote a derogatory article about Lyndon in the magazine's "Style" section.
No More Sex War
The following year he wrote his book, No More Sex War: The Failures of Feminism, published in 1992, in which he expanded on these arguments.Reception
The work received a large amount of attention in the media,most of it hostile and abusive, vilifying Lyndon.Rather than addressing the issues and arguments raised by Lyndon, most critics instead chose to abuse him personally. They suggested he was sexually inadequate, questioned the size of his penis, his masculinity, his ability to attract women and even the smell of his breath. Almost two decades later feminist writer Julie Burchill
Julie Burchill
Julie Burchill is an English writer and journalist. Beginning as a writer for the New Musical Express at the age of 17, she has written for newspapers such as The Sunday Times and The Guardian. She is a self-declared "militant feminist". She has several times been involved in legal action...
continued the attack, suggesting he was a "sad-sack" and "the opposite of a man". In a review of book of the year, Helena Kennedy refused to even discuss the publication, simply instructing people not to buy it.
Even more serious abuses of Lyndon were to come such as an assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
at Heathrow Airport. At Cambridge university, Lyndon's Alma-mater, the female president of the student's union encouraged students to burn his writings and a Don
Don
- People :* Don , a short form of the masculine given name Donald in English, also a masculine given name in Irish* Don , a Spanish, Portuguese and Italian title, given as a mark of respect* Don, a crime boss...
told her pupils that she would like to see him shot
Shot
Shot may refer to:*The act of shooting, firing a gun or other projectile weapon*Gunshot, the act of firing a gun*Nuclear testing, a nuclear weapon test*Lead shot, small balls of shot generally used as weights or as firearms projectiles...
.
Lyndon was shunned by friends
Impact
The book did sell well but Lyndon's work in journalism dried up. In August 1992 he was declared bankrupt.Before the publication of No More Sex War, Lyndon's marriage had broken up and his wife had abducted their child to Scotland where she obtained an order of custody without Lyndon knowing the case was being heard. In the subsequent divorce, his media notoriety was used against him in court, and he lost all access to his son. He rebuilt his career in journalism during the 1990s, and was later reunited with his son, who lived with him in Scotland before going to university.Eight years after the controversy, Lyndon revisited some of the issues in his book and discussed his story. He highlighted the issues in relation to "the treatment of dissidents in what is supposed to be an open society". Whilst not comparing his plight to the coetaneous case of Salman Rushdie, he suggested it was "paradoxical that many of the people who defended Rushdie's right to write whatever he wanted should be so censorious and destructive about wanting to limit my freedom to do the same".
Other works
Lyndon has also co-written a musical, Hail to the Chief, now renamed "Men of Respect", about America between the inaugurations of John Kennedy and Richard NixonRichard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.
Personal life
Lyndon is married to Linda, they have two daughters and live in FifeFife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Lyndon also has a son from a previous marriage.
Publications
- No More Sex War: The failures of feminism, by Neil Lyndon, 1992, Sinclair-Stevenson Ltd ISBN 978-1856191913
- A Boyhood in the Weald, by Neil Lyndon, 1998, Pomegranate Press ISBN 978-0951987681