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Original poster

Germaine Greer

531 replies

IamTheWhoreofBabylon · 23/10/2015 22:57

i never post here but I'm watching Germaine Greer on newsnight
Crazy, the woman is not allowed to discuss feminist issues without being forced to discuss transgender issues
Disclaimer- I really like GG
Am I reading this correctly? Why does she have to fight for a different groups issues

OP posts:
FreshwaterSelkie · 26/10/2015 09:20

I really liked that blog post.

The whole think increasing makes me think of wars of religion, where the orthodoxy requires a public profession of faith from everybody and apostasy is punishable by shaming. I'm reminded of Elizabeth I, "I have no desire to make windows into men's souls", I can't help feeling we should think a bit more along those lines. Because what does it matter if Greer, or you, or I don't think that saying one is a woman, makes one a woman? Why doesn't anyone get to say "OK, you crack on, I don't agree, but I'm not going to work either for you or against you"? If you wait for everyone in the world to agree with you, you'll have a bloody long wait.

Do Wark and Greer have any history together? Because I can't honestly believe that Wark isn't bright enough to know just how banal the questions she was asking were. Did she intend to get a rise out of Greer? I wondered at a couple of points if they hadn't actually cooked up the interview between them, and both knew exactly which way it was going to go, and it went exactly according to the intention.

CrayonShavings · 26/10/2015 08:42

slugs everyday feminism is my guilty pleasure. Well, perhaps pleasure is the wrong word. I read it when I'm in the mood for some batshit internet feminism.

In real life, it seems like most people reject this magical thinking, oppression olympics bs. I hope all the publicity, all the woman of the year awards, all the stereotypes and talk of bravery does prove counterproductive.

Great blog, Briar

CheckedMate · 26/10/2015 08:26

Jesus.

I watched that video with my jaw hanging open. The questions. The interviewer. Determined to try and prod and poke - but she didn't get a reaction!

GO GERMAINE! You wiped the floor with her.

Brilliant.

HeighHoghItsBacktoWorkIGo · 26/10/2015 07:41

Thanks Gwenhwyfar. I signed.

slugseatlettuce · 26/10/2015 07:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 25/10/2015 23:56

"I'm going to leave it there, I'm not biting."

I don't think it's you who wasn't biting. But, cheerio :)

SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace · 25/10/2015 23:30

'I'm not biting' = 'I have no answer', perhaps?

PlaysWellWithOthers · 25/10/2015 23:27

No Flora, it's called colluding with their delusions and is really unhealthy for them.

FloraFox · 25/10/2015 23:13

You've no idea of the pain of denial, that's where empathy comes in.

Lots of people are in pain and some of them are in pain because other people do not validate their beliefs about themselves. is it empathic to agree an anorexic is fat or give them liposuction?

VulcanWoman · 25/10/2015 23:09

I'm going to leave it there, I'm not biting.

QueenLaBeefah · 25/10/2015 23:06

Female brain = kittens, knitting, pink, babies

Male brain = not seeing mess, high paid jobs, cars, blue

PlaysWellWithOthers · 25/10/2015 23:06

Ah right..... so unless we agree that there's an actual thing like lady brain, then we're not empathetic?

Bollocks.

femfortheday · 25/10/2015 23:02

Not interested in the studies (have seen them, they don't support your argument). I'm also interested in how you think male and female brains are different, Vulcan.

BuffytheReasonableFeminist · 25/10/2015 22:55

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VulcanWoman · 25/10/2015 22:53

I'll have to agree to disagree on the brain studies.
You've no idea of the pain of denial, that's where empathy comes in.

BuffytheReasonableFeminist · 25/10/2015 22:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

abbieanders · 25/10/2015 22:49

Would you deny your child.

Absolutely yes. I would not allow puberty blockers or surgery, and since I have a daughter, I would also forbid toddler stuffers. Certainly I would encourage them to express themselves as they are, do what they want to do and hopefully come to terms with the issues troubling them.

BuffytheReasonableFeminist · 25/10/2015 22:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

almondpudding · 25/10/2015 22:44

There is no study showing that a scientist can look at a brain without seeing the rest of the body and say that it is a female brain.

Scientists can look at a person's external body and know their sex with over 99% accuracy.

whatdoIget · 25/10/2015 22:44

I would definitely deny my child puberty blockers and genital mutilation!!
I would tell my child it is not possible to change sex, but they can wear whatever they want, play with any toys they wish to, behave in ways that are stereotypically male or female as they prefer, and I would support them. I think it's dishonest and wrong to let children believe they can become the opposite sex, and consign them to a life of taking artificial hormones.

VulcanWoman · 25/10/2015 22:38

If I linked a study you'd just poo poo it, there's been lots of studies that prove it, if you want to deny that then fair enough. What's the problem with having differences and a variety anyway.
Would you deny your child.

HedgehogAtHome · 25/10/2015 22:28

Buggrit!

NiNoKuni · 25/10/2015 22:25

That is a total top tip Saskia! Grin