I regret to admit none of the remaining passengers in the carriage, nearly all businessmen, and of course, including myself, would have dared do this. We wouldn’t have thought twice, however, if it had been one of our kind. She returned to her seat to applause! And then proceeded to lecture me on male social conditioning….what pushovers we all were…and how women/girls wrapped all men- especially male teachers- around their little fingers
Fifty years ago boys and girls were essentially different species with very different futures ahead of them. Most girls were destined to marry young and to have families. WW2 was not long over and the red menace and yellow peril were a concern. Boys needed to be toughened for future conflict. It was taken for granted that boys and girls were treated differently. Anyway, boys were far naughtier and far more inclined to commit those offenses that were punished by caning. Things have changed.