It's just not feminism

I haven't come across this particular bit of Greer, but knowing her stance on other things I would have thought that she was making the point that using body modification to conform to society's ideas of attractivenmess, or even their own internalised version of that, is not feminist, no matter how well they may have succeeded as women in a man's world. Mind you, she's just a grumpy old woman these days lol. (She's one of the few women who scare me - she'd be the uberDomina of all time if she leant that way.) Lash

Size shouldn't matter and this surprised me coming from Germaine Greer. It's not good to hold thin people up as role models to young girls but some people are naturally thin. How can your size influence whether you're a feminist or not. Personally I don't think this woman is a feminist icon. She's a member of a rubbish group and it's on a par with saying The Spice Girls were supporters of girl power. Carol Vorderman is more my idea of someone to aspire to be like.

I can see the logic in it. Feminism is, supposedly, about equality and not having to be an object to be ogled by men so, in that way, a woman who does so much to try and stay thin because they think that is what is required of them or they think other people will think they look better is not really a good advert for feminism. However, people can still want to look good for themselves which is an entirely different matter and, I think, the point is that they are doing it because they want to and are successful, not relying on a man to pay for it or anything. There are certain people, not necessarily feminist icons, who I admire and respect because they are successful in their own right and have lost weight to become a size which they are comfortable with. I don't see any problem with that although I do think that deliberately trying to get down to a size 6 by any means when that is not your natural size just because it is fashion or because you think that men like it, that is NOT feminism. Anyway, I don't go for all this feminist stuff. I don't want to be equal to any man - why would I lower myself?

Germaine Greer did a lot of good for the women's movement in the 1960's and 1970's and a number of friends were strong supporters of hers. However in recent years she is living off her past and "sullying" it as a result by some of the things she has been saying and doing. Some of these extremely outrageous comments of hers have nothing to do with feminism. In fact the feminisit in this world should be hoping that these strange announcements that Germaine Greer makes are largely ignored. As far as I understood the feminist movement was all about empowering women and giving them equal rights in this world. If you are old enough to remember back that far you will no doubt recall that in general women did not hold senior management positions in companies. They did not receive equal pay and in many instances when the woman married she was expected to leave work. The size of a woman has nothing at all to do with feminism. Surely if a woman chooses to diet or have surgery etc it is because she wants to and that is her decision. Yes there might be some women who go to extremes when it comes t size and beauty for the male in their life, but not all women are like that. Think it is long past time when the media stopped reporting these weird comments from Germaine Greer. She realy is an unattractive person to look at and these days her scathing comments indicate to me that she is also an unattractive unhappy person on the inside.

Are now she is not talking about size as such she is talking about doctoring their size artificially and that is about following the beauty myth which is not what feminism is about. Size makes no difference to a feminist but to doctor your body to fit some false idea of beauty is to fall prey to the patriarchal view of women. If a woman is naturally thin fine but body sculpting, no way!! These women are using body sculpting to keep their jobs because they are afraid the men will sack them if they do not maintain a youthful figure and that is an attack on feminism and puts us right back into the pit that patriarchy made for us that we are only of use when we are decorative! That view is not acceptable. Only when it is ok to gain weight, ok to get old and have wrinkled skin and ok to have grey hair and still be seen for the natural beauty of the person and not the shell will we truly be free!!

Why should there be a relationship between the two? It's the persons deeds, not their size that determines what they are.

Well I would not have thought so but again I say that they are not real when they have all these Operations lol, but that is just my way of thinking, as they say it is plastic Surgery so of course to me they are not themselves they have made themselves, hmmmmm I hope you get what I mean as I am confusing myself here

I have never cared for the feminist movement myself. I do not need help to prove I can do something better than a man. I think the whole thing is ridiculous. I believe that God made us different for a reason and we should embrace and celebrate those differences! I think the twiggys of the world do not help, but personally, I am above that. If a women has to go to such great lengths to feel good about herself, she still won't after that surgery. I find it all sad!

Well.... I am not really sure... but don't guys love the small petite type? Don't they feel threatened by the existence of bigger women who might be stronger than them physically, mentally, and emotionally? I am a bit on the sturdy side, and I am sure not a single guy has felt comfortable around me, especially when I make it quite clear that I can take care of myself. LOL!! I think men love women they can "protect," so the smaller and weaker the woman, the better for the male ego. Of course, I am not sure... this is just what I think based on my own experience. Cheers and happy mylotting

Hi p1ke being honest I dont see any reason why that has to have anything to do with being a feminist..more than likely just vanity lol...hugs littleowl

no. it is just a part of their career to look their best in front of the camera. it is a part of their job to look glamorous, slim and always perfect, even though they may not be in real life.

Hi p1key, I don't think a women's size has got anything to do with them being a feminist, they can look like a fluffy pinky girly girl but can still be a feminist, its their opinion and brains that counts, they only look like that because they have the right to look any way they want to. Hugs. Tamara

well some people might think that a thin woman who has dominated a mans world might have gotten there on her back rather than with her brains. i think that the whole feminist thing is a bunch of crap. why do we have to label everything. why can't we just see that women have changed and are now becoming independent. we can do for ourselves what was once a man's job. why dont we just get rid of the whole "feminist" movement and just realize the world is changing.

i don't think that the issue is the size per say rather at what lengths these women go to keep their at many times unrealistic expectations of how they should look. Perhaps the people that say they shouldn't be considered feminists say that based on what lengths these small sized women go to in order to fit into some expectation that has been put into place of what beauty is. Size shouldn't matter i agree however these women are making it an issue... just something to think about.

IMO that would be an oxymoron. Feminists seek to correct inequality in gender yet could not be a feminist because of inequality in size!

now that is a concept i have never heard of before. i would prefer if woman who wanted to be smaller in weight did so for health reason, but i don't know if those woman who choose to be thin can't be a feminist. i mean you can be what ever you want to be. choose is your only tool or key to success. truth is perception and everyones truth is not the same.

I don't think it's a woman's size that affects whether or not she can be called a feminist. I think it's more how you feel about your body. When somebody wants to change the shape/size of her body to conform to the idea of what the "perfect woman" should look like, according to society and the media, then I think that this is rather anti-feminist. Being happy with your body and being proud to look like a real woman is more in line with what feminism is all about. That and accepting that what's on the inside is more important than your outside appearance.

I actually agree with a lot of things Germaine says (unpopular as they may be) - but I don't think size has anything to do with how one feels inside regarding feminism. Germy probably thinks women who undergo cosmetic procedures are 'selling out' and trying to portray themselves as something they're not. Maybe she's under the (probably mistaken) belief women have surgery to please men. I think it's more likely they do it to impress other women. The female brain is a complicated thing - I'm glad mine shut down years ago ...

Poppycock! A woman's actions should speak more to be an icon than her size! Ms. Greer should have a numbing shot to her...............somewhere, to make her think twice before making such statements!

Size of a woman can't be a subject of a feminist.Some feminists are going to be crazy.I think feminists are those who are fighting for the estublishment of women's rights.Some feminists want to be manlike.I think these feelings are inferiority complex.Feminists are not against men. They are against oppression on women.