Feminist Book Club month 1: The Female Eunuch

[Tartle]

Hi everyone. Hopefully your copies have arrived and people have started reading so I thought I would get the thread going.

I haven't managed to start reading yet but I will today. I am not really sure what my expectations are to be honest. I am excited to get started though.

When I have done real life book club in the past we have all come up with some questions and talking points so please do post any thoughts or ideas you have that would be interesting to discuss.

I haven't managed to start reading yet but I will today. I am not really sure what my expectations are to be honest. What are your expectations before you start or if you are rereading what do you remember about your reactions reading it the first time?

Inspirational power quoteto kick us off: "The sight of women talking together has always made men uneasy; nowadays it means rank subversion."

Hi

I think I was about 17 when I first read it, it was a real lightbulb moment when lots of disparate things I'd experienced suddenly made sense. It will be interesting to read again....if I can find my copy!

Hullo.

I confess that I've attempted this book twice before and failed! I dont know if it's because I'm out of practice with non fiction books or because it's a bit too advanced

But it's on the kindle and I'm going to give it another go

Thank you for setting this up Tartle
It's a bit clunky looking but here's the link to a free online copy.
seminariolecturasfeministas.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/germaine-greer-the-female-eunuch.pdf

Hi I'm going to try to join in. I'm a lurker on feminist chat but more active on some fb groups.

I haven't made it through a whole book since giving birth 2.5 years ago but going try to keep up! I already have this book and have read about half of it in the past.

I hadn't even got around to ordering the book but thanks for the link - I've opened it in iBooks, will see how that goes.

And for those of you with older actual books, you might want to take a look at the 'Foreword to the 21st Anniversary Edition' in the link, for current context.

Thanks for the link Woman1234 it means I can get started straight away. Although, I expect I will buy an actual copy of the book so I can have the complete experience!

Thank you for setting up, and for the tip about the audible version narrated by Germain herself. It is downloading as i type. I thought Greer was a prophet unrecognised in her own land, but was glad to find she had her own 'tile' set into the walkway at Sydney's circular quay.

My copy is ordered!

I've started reading via the link upthread. Enjoying it so far - sad how much of her analysis is still so relevant.

I've been reading. I think its incredibly important that the first part of the book is defining women biologically. I suspect this is one of the things that has had her no platformed, because I can see a certain type of activist being very upset by it.

I agree with Germaine! Going to start the second section today, if the dog will stop pestering me!

I'd like to join the reading group! Have been meaning to read many of the texts mentioned on your first thread Tartle, so this is the ideal opportunity. I've been listening to the audio download as I have little stamina for reading when it comes to non-fiction.

So far, one thing I'm enjoying is GG's prose. She certainly is a talented writer. I agree that the intro to the 21st anniversary edition is helpful.

One thing I am finding, however, is that at frequent points, it feels to me like a big telling-off. Especially, the chapter on sex, where GG effectively seems to say that women don't ever really authentically enjoy sex, they just fulfil the roles expected of them. I certainly don't deny that there may be widespread problems in the way that women are educated (or not) about their sexuality, however I do balk at the generalisations. Having already complimented her prose, perhaps one thing for me that is off putting is the polemicist style, where every statement is an absolute.

I also resent her derision of the 'cinderella profession' of teaching, as a traditionally feminine career. However, I acknowledge that her attitude to it was formed at a time where the professions available to women were very few, so many must have opted for teaching through lack of choice. (Disclosure: I am a teacher )

How's everyone getting on? I'm well behind, having just started 'Soul'. I'm finding it very readable - not dry, academic prose, but well written and passionate. Very passionate . She's very forthright with her views, but is that her natural style or is that a style she had to adopt, as a female in academia? I know, in my limited experience of academic writing, we were ordered to show confidence in our work, any hesitance or doubt in our writing was edited out.

I wonder if her writing feels dictatorial partly because females are generally expected to have a different writing style. Was there not an app produced to make emails seem stronger and more business-like, by removing the apologies and other 'weak' language?

I'm also curious as to others' thoughts on April Ashley, the male who underwent SRS and married a man. Considering Greer's reputation, I was a bit surprised to see her describe Ashley as "as much a casualty of the polarity of the sexes as we all are. Disgraced, unsexed April Ashley is our sister and our symbol."

On thinking about it though, it does make sense, that transexuals (to use the more specific if old-fashioned/non-PC term), are as much victims of feminity as women are.

New Year's resolution is to meet more feminists and engage in more feminism. I already follow all the obvious feminists on Facebook & Twitter. Want to be part of a constructive group rather than online arguments. (Possibly with the long-term aim of setting up a political party, if that's not too ambitious, which it probably is, haha!) Looking for others on here who are both feminist and leftwing and green ? Anyone ? I'm in York though....