“I don’t believe in transphobia” — Germaine Greer

“I don’t believe in transphobia” — Germaine Greer
Image: Germaine Greer

FEMINIST writer and academic Germaine Greer’s appearance at a Cambridge University Student’s Union (CUSU) event sparked protests from CUSU’s LGBT+ society this week when she was accused, then denied the existence of transphobia.

“I don’t believe in transphobia”, the bestselling author of The Female Eunuch said, according to the Cambridge Student.

“I didn’t know there was such thing [as transphobia]. Arachnophobia, yes. Transphobia, no.”

Greer’s history against trans* women prompted CUSU LGBT+ to boycott CUSU’s weekly Monday drinks and speaker event.

In 1996, she opposed the Newnham College fellowship of trans* colleague Rachael Padman.

She described trans* women in her 1999 book The Whole Woman as “Pantomime Danes” and “men who believe that they are women and have had themselves castrated”.

In 2009, Greer called trans* women “ghastly parodies” of “real” women.

Her controversial opinion attracted the attention of the Queer Avengers, who glitterbombed her at a book signing in 2012.

CUSU LGBT+ with CUSU Women’s Campaign hosted an alternative event that was inclusive of “trans* positive feminism” where trans* feminist activist Roz Kaveny spoke.

CUSU LGBT+ told The Huffington Post UK: “We felt that to invite Germaine Greer back to speak in Cambridge after her actions against Rachael Padman and given her wider transmisogynistic stance was to sweep these things under the carpet and, as such, implicitly condone them by failing to take a stand against them.”

CUSU told Varsity: “The Union maintains its commitment to free speech and, as ever, rejects no platform policies. We neither condemn nor condone the viewpoints of any of our speakers, but provide a neutral forum where they may be questioned and challenged by our members.”

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151 responses to ““I don’t believe in transphobia” — Germaine Greer”

  1. @liz yes I’m a gay guy and love everyone and except all of our community, probably more women than guy friends…,,so why should I protect and support someone who doesn’t support all of the gay community regardless of gender and group everyone should be part of it and excepted!! Her comments don’t resemble my beliefs sorry why exclude??

    • I am not saying that you have to agree with GG, but the sexism on display (HOW people are speaking about her) is the kind of casual, everyday misogyny that excludes women in the LGBT community. I would kind of hope that everyone cares about THAT kind of exclusion too…

  2. Germaine saying it as it is, As unpalatable as it may be to our politically correct society these days she speaks the truth!

    You only have to see some of the responses to know she said it right!

  3. This lady is a closed minded ignorant individual who has no right to voice the opinion of anyone other than herself. Her opinion is clear. And her opinion is clearly closed off to the reality of the world. Trans people are beautiful and need the full support of our society. Here is lady also wanting and desiring the support of the extended society about feminist issues. Yet here are some feminist issues that extend beyond her “comfort zone”, and she wants nothing to do with them. Poor form Germaine. No wonder why the greater Australian society think you’re a joke.

  4. Due to apparent offence I’ll gladly remove my own comment, though I will always stand up and have my word…I’ll agree I can be rude and crass…..misogynist “fuckboy” I am not!

  5. Star Observer could you moderate this thread for misogyny. Women read this page too you know.

    And for god’s sake can you all stop using misogyny when you make a point. Displaying your sexism for all to see is not exactly how to demonstrate that you understand how bigotry and oppression works. And what exactly do you think it says to lesbians and bisexual women in the community?

  6. What the hell would this woman know about transphobia in any way. She is offensive. Loud mouthed. Crude. Gross and says things that are just balls to the wall crazy. Sure she knows her shit about feminism etc but I don’t see the right in her inserting hereof into and ignighting another debate and argument over something she knows NOTHING about. Let’s not give her the satisfaction of causing another debate over her nonsense. Rant over.

  7. Well of course she doesn’t believe in transphobia. Then she would need to admit her own views are a perfect example. What a shame to see an educated individual who claims to care about ideas gibble these issues so embarrassingly.