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Saturday, February 5, 2011

Germaine Greer -- Aquarian

Germaine Greer. Australian, Communist, anarchist, feminist. Aquarian.


Greer is a complex, fascinating figure.

First--for me--and wonderfully, she is a scholar of English literature, earning an MA in Romantic poetry (specifically Byron, another Aquarian) and a doctorate in English drama (specifically Shakespeare). She has studied at University of Sydney and Cambridge University,  taught at the University of Sydney, Cambridge's Newnham College, and University of Warwick (currently professor emeritus).


She is a controversial writer and speaker, one who has not transferred from "feminism" to "genderism," but who has seen the continued situation of women in the Western world as one of inequality that has not shifted, though it has marginally improved. She advocates liberation, not equality -- seeing these two things as fundamentally different as structured movements.


She contends that "men hate women." She has fought for the Australian aboriginal movement. She has been part of television, film, and newspaper projects that have nothing to do with feminism (like Celebrity Big Brother UK, where she walked off after 5 days... what did she expect?)


She is a charismatic, controversial, intellectual, active, incisive, fearless, outspoken figure. One might not always agree with her (I don't) but she forces you to think about what she says and why--or how far--you agree with her. Or not. Therefore, she makes the discussion lively and active in a world where too many people don't really want to take a position... or think... or challenge themselves.

1 comment:

  1. I remember hearing about her Bog Brother experience - fascinating

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