Most of us did not know that differences between male and female writers, columnists, and, most importantly, comedians, are more in the social perceptions of their humour, rather than their ability to be funny.

In my days, from school to university, from reading to writing as a columnist, while I knew friends, both females and men, who were writers, I appreciated skill and humour rather than focusing on the gender of the writer. What did change over time was my awareness of how different genders used humour, especially with women often dealing with the nuances of personal experiences and societal expectations.

Men would use humour to flirt and have fun with women, with books like How to Make a Woman Laugh (The Key to Flirting with Women) and Where to Meet Girls with a Good Sense of Humour.