Regarding Cathy Young's op-ed about Karen DeCrow, "A feminist who also cared about men" [Opinion, June 17], I object to both the title and the substance, as would my friend Karen DeCrow.

Karen and I both agreed that it was words like these that stereotype feminists, who do not dislike men but rather dislike the patriarchy that still traps both men and women.

The assumption that feminists hate men is a technique for blocking women's activism. Men are not our enemy, patriarchy is. Women still make 77 cents on the male dollar and even birth control is now under attack across the United States.

As past president of the 36,000-member National Organization for Women-NYS, I can attest to the fact that the majority of our members have husbands, sons and grandsons whom we dearly love.

Marilyn Fitterman, East Hampton

Editor's note: The writer is the president of East End NOW.