Letter: Fanaticism is a feminist issue

WHAT a revealing article by David Lister on Barbra Streisand and her female following ('Barbra and her funny girl fans', 10 April).

Perhaps he can tell us why it is more ridiculous for Ruth Davison, a copyright clerk, to blow pounds 1,000 on tickets to see Streisand than it is for similar amounts to be spent by a lawyer, for instance, to hear Placido Domingo, or a factory worker to follow his football team around Europe. Could it be that the idea of a woman fanatically supporting (heaven forbid) another woman, is just a mite threatening?

David Lister nails his colours firmly to the mast when he suggests Streisand 'made a fool of herself' by sending flowers to Andre Agassi at Wimbledon last year. I can picture that situation in reverse. Imagine Al Pacino showering Gabriela Sabatini with roses. It would elicit a rather more empathetic description from David Lister; for some reason, phrases like 'good ole boy' spring to mind.

Helen Walker

London W7