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The Guardian asks a number of influential women (apparently) but I'd rather ask MNers.

Not a feminist icon, not an icon at all. An absolute disgrace in fact, who caused untold damage to this country and now can't remember any of it! Shame the rest of us can...

and now can't remember any of it

Rather below-the-belt to refer to someone's illness like that IMO.

No. She was no feminist. Therefore she's not a feminist icon.

Not sure about this one.....

Although from relatively humble beginnings she strived and suceeded in getting to the top of her profession in a very male dominated scion of society she did have some seemingly feminist attributes BUT she never set out to further the cause of womens' rights or champion women in the workplace so I dont think she is a feminist icon, maybe an accidental feminist icon. While I admire anybody who has the drive and determination to suceed in acheiving their goals, I dont admire any of her policies, principles or what she stood for.

I also think she would probably not see herself as a feminist icon or have any support for the feminist movement

She wasn't a feminist. Here's a letter copied and pasted from the Guardian a couple of days ago, sent in by a woman who ran refuge for women escaping domestic violence in 1979:

• Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in 1979 (Fiend or feminist?, G2, 6 January). I was running my refuge in Chiswick. What, as the first woman prime minister would she do for victims of domestic violence, I asked. I got a letter back to say that Margaret Thatcher was not interested in women's issues. A feminist icon? I think not.

LittleGnu that was seriously uncalled for.

Interesting, I wonder who wrote that letter?

It's unlikely to be her personally. I wonder if at some point an advisor decided that in order to get to the top a woman couldn't be seen as being interested in "women's issues" or else she'd get sidelined.

Completely agree LittleGnu. I could think of a better title for the film about her than 'The Iron Lady'

And certainly she was no feminist.

Shakey500 Nothing is "uncalled for" when it comes to that woman, she wrecked countless lives, that was very "uncalled for".

Mocking someone's debilitating illness is extremely low. There is no excuse.

So, for example, you'd think it was OK to use racist language against Idi Amin?

Stuck to insulting/complaining about things that she voluntarily did.

Shakey500 It's not "mocking" you idiot, it's stating a simple fact, namely that she now can't remember what she did. Look up "mocking" in the dictionary...

If "nothing is uncalled for" then what? You's like to see her stoned in the streets? Is that ok? Hung from the rafters? How about that, is that acceptable?

Fair enough to despise someone for their politics, the descisions they made, the effects they had. But to glibly throw in a remark about someone's illness is disgusting.

It is enough to attack her for her actions. It is not acceptable or necessary to mock the illness too.

OnlyANinja Stating that Thatcher can't remember what she did is a statement of fact, not an insult...blimey!!

No, the reason my parents had to move hundreds of miles to raise me and my sis in an inbred shithole , because she closed most of the shipyards in the north east.

Shakey500, you clearly don't understand the word "mock". The same with IslaDoit. Buy a dictionary!!

Little Gnu, if mock doesn't suit try bad taste instead.

LittleGnu do you have to be so rude? You made a joke at the expense of the woman's illness. You were called on it. A more grown up response would have been to reflect and maybe apologize. Insulting others in the way you have on this just makes you look unhinged and loses any valid points you might have been making.

Maybe you could apologise for being a bit off and join in the discussion? Alternatively if you feel unable to do that perhaps another thread or logging off and making a cup of tea might be better ideas?

Feminist icon? I don't think so!!

No mock was correct <thumbs dictionary>

I have a dictionary thank you. I do not appreciate being called an idiot. It is not just I that thinks you were unacceptable. You made light (is that better?) of someone's illness. Not on.

FWIW I disagree with many of the descisions she made regarding his country and I do not think she is a feminist icon. I do think, however, that she was an individual with a very strong personality, who could command attention and had courage of conviction (whether those convictions were right or wrong)

IslaDoit I'm not entering into a long debate with people who don't understand the word "mock". The point was perfectly valid, she was a despicable woman who now can't recall any of what she did. I wish she could!

I don't think that Mrs Thatcher could be called either a feminist or feminist icon.

I was 10 when she was elected.

My belief is that a woman can reach the top through hard work and determination.

A woman can lead.

A woman can be just as good, if not better, than a man.

There are many women I admire, but I can tell you that these are facts I learned from directly from Mrs Thatchers influence.