Indeed. It's a monumentally stupid point of view, as far as I'm concerned. Just imagine missing out on the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, Susan Hill, JK Rowling, Daphne Du Maurier, Agatha Christie, etc, etc. So many of my favourite authors are women, and anyone who knows me knows that isn't virtue signalling. All I care about is a good story well told, not hitting a diversity quota.

By the way, I'd be curious to know what you thought of the female protagonists in many of my gothic mystery novels (eg Spectre of Springwell Forest, The Irresistible Summons, Phantom Audition, The Birds Began to Sing, The Thistlewood Curse, etc), if you ever get the urge to check them out. :)