Germaine Greer: Biography, Books, and Controversies

Few writers have managed to stay at the center of public debate for five decades, but Germaine Greer is one of them. Born in Melbourne in 1939, she shot to fame with her 1970 book The Female Eunuch, which has sold over a million copies and been translated into twelve languages. This article looks at her life, her major works, her marriage, her views on children, and what she’s doing now — including her recent essay on aged care.

Born: 29 January 1939 (Melbourne, Australia) ·
Known for: Second-wave feminism, The Female Eunuch ·
Notable work: The Female Eunuch (1970) ·
Spouse: Paul du Feu (m. 1968; div. 1973) ·
Children: None ·
Current residence: Essex, England

Seven key facts, one pattern: Greer’s life is a study in how a single book can reshape a career and how later controversies keep a public intellectual relevant.

What was Germaine Greer famous for?

Germaine Greer’s role in second-wave feminism

• Greer is an Australian writer, critic, and academic, regarded as a major voice of second-wave feminism (National Portrait Gallery of Australia).
• She left Australia in 1964 to study at Cambridge and became closely associated with Australians in London, writing provocative columns for Oz magazine (Australian Museum).
• The ideas she tested in Oz were amplified in The Female Eunuch, which catapulted her to international fame (Australian Museum).

Her early life and education

• Greer studied English and French literature at the University of Melbourne (University of Melbourne Archives).
• She graduated with an MA (Hons I) from the University of Sydney and was a Senior Tutor in English from 1963 to 1964 (University of Melbourne Archives).
• In 1964 she moved to the UK to begin PhD studies at Newnham College, Cambridge (Australian Museum).

The Female Eunuch’s impact

• The book challenged traditional female roles and argued for sexual liberation, criticizing marriage as an institution that suppresses women’s autonomy (Wikipedia).
• It has never been out of print and has been translated into twelve languages, selling more than one million copies (National Portrait Gallery of Australia).
• The book made Greer a household name, though some writers later characterized parts of it as controversial (Wikipedia).

What controversial book did Germaine Greer write?

The Female Eunuch’s arguments

• Greer argued that women are systematically conditioned to be passive, dependent, and sexually repressed — “eunuchs” in a patriarchal society (Wikipedia).
• She called for women to reclaim their bodies and sexuality, rejecting the nuclear family and marriage as forms of oppression (Wikipedia).
• The book’s frank language and radical proposals sparked widespread controversy at the time of publication (National Portrait Gallery of Australia).

Other controversial works

• Sex and Destiny (1984) criticized the sexual revolution and Western attitudes toward reproduction (Wikipedia).
• The Whole Woman (1999) revisited the themes of The Female Eunuch and argued that feminism had not gone far enough (Wikipedia).
• Greer’s later writings on transgender issues and her comments on Meghan Markle have also drawn sharp criticism (Wikipedia).

Criticism and legacy

• Some critics have labeled parts of The Female Eunuch as paedophilic, an accusation Greer expected and dismissed (Wikipedia).
• Despite the controversies, the book is widely regarded as one of the most influential works of 20th-century feminism (The Conversation).

Did Germaine Greer marry?

Marriage to Paul du Feu

• Greer married builder Paul du Feu in 1968 (National Portrait Gallery of Australia).
• The marriage lasted only a few weeks; they divorced in 1973 (National Portrait Gallery of Australia).
• Du Feu later became known as the husband of actress Vanessa Redgrave after they married in 1973 (Wikipedia).

Germaine Greer’s views on marriage

• Greer has been consistently critical of the institution of marriage, arguing it is a patriarchal construct that traps women (Wikipedia).
• Her own brief marriage did not change her public stance; she often cited it as an example of why women should resist pressure to marry (Wikipedia).

Has Germaine Greer got children?

Does Germaine Greer have children?

• Germaine Greer has no children (National Portrait Gallery of Australia).
• She has stated that she never wanted children, a decision she has consistently maintained throughout her life (Wikipedia).

Her views on motherhood

• Greer has written about the pressures of motherhood on women, arguing that society often forces women into motherhood as a default role (Wikipedia).
• In The Female Eunuch, she argued that motherhood is used to limit women’s freedom and that women should have the right to choose not to have children (Wikipedia).

Is Germaine Greer in a care home?

Where does Germaine Greer live now?

• As of verified reports, Greer lives in Essex, England (National Portrait Gallery of Australia).
• She continues to write and comment on social issues from her home there (The Conversation).

Her aged-care commentary

• In 2024, Greer wrote an essay titled “Germaine’s life as an aged-care inmate” for The Australian, describing her experiences with aged-care facilities (The Conversation).
• The essay sparked media discussion about whether Greer herself resides in a care home, but the text suggests she was observing and visiting, not necessarily living in one (The Conversation).
• As of early 2025, no confirmed reports place her in a care home; she is believed to be still living in her own home in Essex (Wikipedia).

Greer’s career is a case study in how a single book can define a life, and how later controversies can reshape that legacy. For readers in Australia, where she was born and where her archives are held, the implications are clear: her story is a reminder that public intellectuals are judged by their works, their words, and their willingness to remain uncomfortable.