Germain Greer showing the bbc are rubbish

[Ekphrasis]

Just listening to her on radio 4 I do feel she's exposing the simplicity and black and white reporting of the bbc.

Have to say I'm not sure where I stand on what she's saying - I feel I agree with a bit of it as she explains - BUT I'd like to hear the actual debate.

I feel the payments from HW were coercion though which she doesn't seem to feel.

GG really gets it. She my hero.

to me she sounded bonkers.

The fact that some of you seemed to understand it, however, it making me withhold judgment.

She does sound bonkers, I have always thought that and I don't quite know what it is, she is so blunt and so direct and not dressed up and coming at it from a new angle that it's hard to get your ear tuned in. Still love it though. She's always right in the end for me anyway.

Ekphrasis
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007rdly

I've not read all of female eunuch yet (kind of skimmed tbh) but it's still so shocking and more relevant than ever.

Re video - I think it's very naive (Suzanne Moore seems to be the only one being realistic) type of liberation feminism but how refreshing to hear a victim-less feminism! (Not that a realisation of violence patriarchy hasn't helped, but all women are victims now, all men rapists.) I miss the days we could just laugh about them 'aw bless'

I had a crazy idea that you could create a viral Youtube challenge where you challenge women to drink their period blood to shed light on the GRA. Think the message might get lost in all the EEEEEWWWWW - why are they doing that? #terfs!

It would drive the MRA INSANE though!

I've looked through the twitter guff related to today's interview and its clear that the nuanced argument she was trying to make was being trodden on by the presenter and has gone over the heads of many who are twittering off about it. I want to sit by the fire with Germaine, drink a few bottles of red together and listen to her tease out all of the arguments.

thanksjaneshusbandatcaresouth

With Germaine Greer you really have to taken a bit of time to listen to what she says. I often think FFS - you can't say that! but when you concentrate and think about it you're like 'yeah she has a point.'

Rape law technicality probably not the best place to start with her, esp at 8am! This is a good into to the eunuch

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007rdly

I never understood the I don't get the Germaine Greer thoughts.

She has a brilliant mind and the intellect of a universe. Yet despite this high intellect she is able to speak to everyone.

I have The Whole Woman which is an update of The Female Eunuch and it's still relevant to today (which is incredibly sad).

I also love that germane, a play on her name, means relevant, applicable, apposite.

Plus I too love the idea of being on a tv discussion and passing round the fags.

Apologies for missing the e off the end of her name!

She can change her mind about things though. I read Sex and Destiny when it came out in 1984 and it was largely responsible for me going for a diaphragm over the pill which I now regard as a poor choice for a fairly promiscuous student. I was lucky not to fall pregnant. I remember asking the FPC if menstrual regulation was available and them looking at me as though i was completely off my trolley.
I don't think she's as anti the pill now, but I maybe misread the book. I must read it again, although looking at how dense it is I wonder if I ever really read it properly.

2rebecca

Me too, on contraception advice from Germaine Greer, I had forgotten about that. The diaphragm was risky, they don't work in your handbag do they!
I did feel a relief to stop taking the pill which had affected my weight etc. Her view was the pill was a sledgehammer to crack a nut and managing dates was possible. You are only at risk for a week so hormones 24/7 are excessive. I relied on that till menopause. Now trying HRT....

"Rape law technicality probably not the best place to start with her, esp at 8am!"

yes, I think the presenter couldn't see the link to the "metoo" debate and was a bit lost.

I'm with you all on liking the fact that she doesn't give a shit whether men like her or not though. For that alone I'd keep listening.

GG is beautiful in that video. She'd make a great Greek goddess.

Looking forward d to checking out the links/clips when I’ve got more time tonight, but just wanted to post in praise of Germaine Greer. She was my gateway drug with The Female Eunuch and The Whole Woman. I will be forever grateful. I’m appalled by the number of people (yes, including feminists) who write her off as if she’s some barmy old aunt who doesn’t make sense. She’s always worth listening to. This fight we are fighting right now? She’s been here before. It may not be the exact same issue but underneath it’s all the same. She knows this. How dare we dismiss her.

I agree. GG was fighting for women's rights before many current day feminists were born. If you think it's bad now, you should have tried starting your career in the 60s and 70s.

I thought she was bloody BRILLIANT.

She was able to cut through a simplistic approach to sexual harassment and rape. She basically explained rape culture to the interviewer.

She also name-checked Tarana Burke, the actual originator of #MeToo whom people have forgotten. Funny that, working class woman of colour. How odd she’s been overlooked.

I thought Professor Greer presented a really nuanced argument in the very short time allotted to the topic. Bloody brilliant.

And maybe one has to know how appallingly sexist and chauvinist Australian men are to get why Greer is so direct and iconoclastic.

I was at university with a recent Australian PM, who is not morally fit to hold any sort of office. I knew what he did at university - as bad as Weinstein, frankly. Nowadays we’d call him a sexual harasser and probably a date rapist.

So Australian feminists have a very explicit version of patriarchy to fight; here in the UK, sexist chauvinism is covered up by good manners and politeness in public life. It’s not so in Australia. In some ways, it’s better - the sexism and machismo are overt and thus easier to fight. But you have to be direct in Australia. The men are bastards.

GG was fighting for women's rights before many current day feminists were born. If you think it's bad now, you should have tried starting your career in the 60s and 70s.

This.

Watched/read about her radio 4 contribution. I thought she was brilliant, and she had a bloody good point. Our rape laws are not fit for purpose and need to be revisited. What’s the point in them when nobody gets convicted?

Glad other women here still support GG.

TheRagingGirl - re. WOC being ignored. You’re right. #MeToo has become a trend, now Hollywood has taken it to the Awards. Nobody will remember why and how it started, only that it’s instagram-worthy now. GG saw through it. She’s sharp as a tack.

I'd love to know GG's view on 'male lesbians'. I did a double take when I read that on here yesterday.