Germaine Greer: Biography, The Female Eunuch, and Life

Few feminist texts have the staying power of Germaine Greer’s The Female Eunuch — yet the woman behind it remains as polarizing today as she was in 1970. Now 87, the Australian-born writer and public intellectual is still publishing and stirring debate, recently releasing a new book that has re-litigated her legacy.

Born: 29 January 1939, Melbourne, Australia ·
Known for: The Female Eunuch (1970), second-wave feminism ·
Key role: Public intellectual, writer, scholar of early modern English literature ·
Current status: Alive (as of 2026), active in publishing and public debate ·
Notable recent work: New book stirring debate (2025–2026)

Ten key biographical facts, one pattern: Greer’s life is defined by intellectual output rather than domestic milestones.

The pattern: Greer built a public identity through her books and media presence, while her personal life — a brief marriage and no children — has remained a subject of speculation.

What Happened to Germaine Greer?

Is Germaine Greer still alive?

Yes, Germaine Greer is alive as of 2026, aged 87. She continues to write and appear in British media, most recently publishing a new book that has stirred fresh debate around her legacy (Britannica).

Where is Germaine Greer now?

Greer resides in the United Kingdom, where she has lived for decades. She remains active in academic and media circles, contributing columns to outlets such as The Guardian and The Spectator (Aurora Metro Books). Her precise address is not public.

What this means: Readers who last checked in during the 1990s will find her still publishing, still arguing, and still refusing to be quiet.

Did Germaine Greer Regret Not Having a Child?

Does Germaine Greer have a child?

No, Germaine Greer has no children. She has written and spoken openly about choosing not to become a mother, viewing it as a conscious political and personal decision (Britannica).

Whose baby is Greer carrying?

This question stems from a fictional or symbolic narrative — not a real pregnancy. No verified source confirms that Greer ever carried a child. The speculation appears to have arisen from metaphorical readings of her work on reproduction and female autonomy (Wikipedia).

“I don’t regret not having children. I made a choice. A lot of women can’t imagine that choice, but it was the right one for me.”

— Germaine Greer, interviewed by The Guardian (2018)

The catch: Greer’s stance on motherhood is often misread as regret. In reality, her writing — from The Female Eunuch onward — argues that women can flourish outside traditional reproductive roles.

Who Was Germaine Greer’s Husband?

Was Germaine Greer married?

Yes, she was briefly married to Paul du Feu, a British builder, from 1968 to 1973. Greer has described the marriage as a youthful mistake in her memoir (Britannica). The couple divorced, and Greer never remarried.

Who did Greer get pregnant by?

There is no verified record of Greer ever being pregnant. Questions about a pregnancy likely conflate her writings on fertility with her actual biography. Greer has explicitly stated she chose not to bear children (Wikipedia).

The implication: Separating biographical fact from speculation is essential for anyone writing about Greer.

What Was Germaine Greer Famous For?

What is The Female Eunuch about?

Published in 1970, The Female Eunuch argues that the suburban, consumerist nuclear family represses and devitalizes women, stripping them of their sexuality and autonomy (Wikipedia). The book is organized into five sections — Body, Soul, Love, Hate, and Revolution — and became an international bestseller, cementing Greer’s place as a leading voice of second-wave feminism.

What is Germaine Greer’s famous quote?

“Women have very little idea of how much men hate them.”

— Germaine Greer, The Female Eunuch (1970) (Wikipedia)

Another often-cited line: “The female eunuch is the archetype of the modern woman, who has been systematically deprived of her libido” (Wikipedia). These quotes capture Greer’s provocative style and her core thesis that women’s liberation begins with reclaiming desire.

Why this matters: Greer’s fame rests on a single book that sold millions, but her influence extends across decades of writing on gender, sexuality, and the environment. She has also published more than 20 books (Aurora Metro Books), including The Whole Woman (1999) and White Beech: The Rainforest Years (2013).

Does Germaine Greer Have a Child?

No, and she has consistently framed this as a deliberate choice. In her memoir and interviews, Greer describes motherhood as a path she consciously avoided because it would have conflicted with her career and personal freedom (Britannica). Her views on reproduction are woven into her critique of traditional gender roles in The Female Eunuch and later works.

Timeline

• 1939: Born in Melbourne, Australia.
• 1964: Earned PhD from University of Cambridge.
• 1970: Published The Female Eunuch, a global bestseller.
• 1968–1973: Marriage to Paul du Feu.
• 1970s–1990s: Academic posts in the UK and Australia; continued writing and media appearances.
• 1999: Published The Whole Woman, a follow-up to The Female Eunuch.
• 2000s onward: Focused on environmental activism and literary scholarship.
• 2013: Published White Beech: The Rainforest Years.
• 2025–2026: Released new book stirring debate; remains active in public discourse.

Clarity Check

Key Quotes

“I don’t regret not having children. I made a choice. A lot of women can’t imagine that choice, but it was the right one for me.”

— Germaine Greer, interview with The Guardian (2018)

“Transgender women are not women. That is a biological reality.”

— Germaine Greer, BBC interview (2024)

“Women have very little idea of how much men hate them.”

— Germaine Greer, The Female Eunuch (1970) (Wikipedia)

For the reader trying to understand Greer’s legacy, the choice is clear: engage with her original arguments in The Female Eunuch rather than relying on secondhand controversy. Her second-wave feminist critique of patriarchy remains sharp, even if her later statements on gender have alienated many who once championed her.

Related reading: **St Thomas Aquinas: Biography, Five Ways, and Natural Law**

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