Why do people dislike Germaine Greer?

[morescrummythanyummy]

I have a friend who is TWAW and "be kind". I am GC. We are both aware of the other's views from a couple of discussions and have sort of tacitly mutually decided to stay away from further debates on this topic. She reads her kids Harry Potter, so she isn't rabidly activist, but works for a charity that has been stonewalled and exists in a bit of an echo chamber in her day to day life (she would probably say the same about me in looking on mumsnet!). . However, my friend has voiced a quite profound dislike for GG a couple of times in passing on related/political topics, in a way that suggests that this is what "right thinking"'people should think. I don't want to press her on it, because I don't really want to enter into a debate or open a can of worms. She is a lovely person and I really value her friendship. Is GG despised by some because she is outspoken in being GC/terfy or for other reasons? Just quite helpful to know!!

I can't speak for anyone else but can offer my own opinion.

GG was one of the very first people that I can recall to speak on behalf of GC feminism, which won't have made her popular.

Personally, as a feminist first and a GC feminist latterly (in terms of chronology, I mean on my part - I was a feminist long before transactivisim or GC feminism took hold) GG held views that I didn't necessarily share, but that I respected.

In particular her views on rape, I don't want to misquote but I believe they were something along the lines of the penis is just a thin-skinned appendage, and that rather than jailing rapists we'd be better - as a society - tattooing them with an R on their face.

Whilst I don't necessarily agree with GG's expressed views on rape (and I apologised if I've misquoted them, as I've said I'm working on memory) I see that the current legal system we have largely doesn't punish rape anyway (pretty sure the rape conviction stats in the UK are comparable to the minimal chance of getting pregnant when using condoms if that gives context to how crap the current system is) and that GG had an opinion that I may not share, but that it was based on thought, experience and - fundamentally - not harmful for me (a victim of rape) to hear.

I think it was the words on rape:

www.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/30/germaine-greer-calls-for-punishment-for-to-be-reduced

I also seem to recall thinking that some academics - prior to that - thought she recycled others' work/ideas. Something about de Beauvoir?

So, to answer your question, she's intelligent, female and not afraid to be controversial, no matter who she may offend.

Standard burn the witch fodder isn't she? I don't find it perplexing at all that your friend has believed a folk myth.

Who cares.

I love her.

She is forthright confident and speaks her mind. And female. May as well light the blue touch paper really. Many men and women just can't handle that.

GG has always had provocative and controversial ideas and sometimes seems to enjoy the publicity that brings. Hardly a crime but she doesn't hold back and is good at hitting nerves. She often says stuff that people aren't supposed to say - sometimes other people don't say it for a good reason.

She was famous when all those things were assets in public life and now that the media are completely different, she can sometimes be particularly shocking because she just doesn't produce the bland and ideas-free content that otherwise we consume.

I think if you've never disagreed with GG you probably don't listen to her much. But I heard a speaker once dismiss what she said on transgender issues because 'she isn't qualified to comment' and I thought, hang on a minute.

Because she unashamedly doesn't believe any bollocks. She was one of the first women to be non platformed.

The older I get, the more I appreciate Germaine Greer. (I'm re-reading the Obstacle Race at the moment.) She has no fear of not fitting in with the tribe and follows her own convictions. Appears to have missed that female socialization. Among other things she was terfy before the rest of us and we are just catching up.

I've met her a few times and she's fucking scary and fucking excellent.

I don’t especially like Greer (I like people who are gentler as a rule) but I respect her.

She absolutely was. I remember seeing her interview on trans and thinking gosh that's not very nice is it. And being a bit shocked. But also confused as I think she's great. Just couldn't reconcile the 2. Didn't think much more about it. Then refound the clip recently. Omg she is absolutely spot on. It's just difficult to hear put so plainly. Women seem to be so used to not wanting to offend anyone. Well she doesn't give a damn.

And 100% of the men who have talked about trans issues with me are in biological reality. No being nice for them, they see what's going on fine rightly.

Female socialisation I guess.

Ooh jealous you’ve met her.

she used to write a lovely feature in the telegraph on a Saturday about her dogs and woodland.

Have you ever read or heard anything she has written or said?

She's a fucking legend.

She is way ahead of her time, that is all

Yes I don’t think that helped in the popularity stakes

although im absolutely positive that she doesnt give a shit

i agree with some of what she says and disagree vehemently with other things but thats the same with most people and their opinions

I watched a wafty tv programme she made whilst quite young. Black and white. Formal garden. Wandering around? Quite controversial.

I loved her Spaniel ears comment.

Thank you all!

To clarify, I have read some of what GG has written - she is punchy and I don't always agree with her (though I am GC like her). I guess I admired her from afar for being a feminist first and I suppose I thought that most people might think, like me, that even if I didn't always agree with her I respected her for her bravery and for being prepared to be a "difficult woman" and have opinions. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that she is so disliked - as PPs have said burn the witch and all that. I guess I just wanted to know if I was missing something, because my friend seems to think it is obvious you'd dislike her (and I don't!).

I think your friend is a bit thick

If your friend is TWAW then there's no way she'd like GG who is very unashamedly outspoken on the issue.

She wrote about it decades before it became mainstream.

I love her. I think maybe wrongly (it was quite awhile ago I looked into it) that her sentiments on rape were that it should be regarded as similar to assault rather than a higher crime such as murder. I seem to remember the quote "it's just a fuck". I think the point was that it's not uniquely traumatic, akin to any incidence of violation, it's because the world is weird about female sexuality generally that it's regarded worse than say biting someone's ear off. I can't say I disagree to be honest.

I went to hear her speak with some friends when The Whole Woman came out. She was AMAZING.

There was the most incredible and inspiring energy of a big hall full of women all not giving a fuck.

Germaine Greer is a Feminist (in the traditional sense of prioritising women's needs and wanting to see gender structures dismantled).

Not surprising she's completely at odds with 'feminists' who see men's needs as a priority and Gender as a wonderful plaything.

Greer writes to provoke thought, questions, arguments. She doesn't write to try and win friends. She's sharp as a tack, sometimes outrageous and sometimes completely down-to-earth. She's a proper, actual, legend.