Germaine Greer: Replacing male leaders with women would not make the world a better place

'Simply substituting men with women wouldn't cut it'

Professor Greer previously said she would not give the talk (Getty Images)

Germaine Greer has warned simply replacing male leaders with women would not be enough to make the world a “safer, kinder, happier place” because those who reach senior positions would likely just behave as men in male dominated environments do.

The feminist academic and author addressed the efficacy of placing women in senior positions to improve the world during an appearance at the Telegraph Festival of Education.

In a discussion about how best to engender equality, Greer recalled being questioned about whether the world would be a “better place” if women were running it and answering “no”.

Greer said this was a position she still stood by.

“Having a world run by women is not the same as having a world run by, say, feminists or socialists or peacenicks,” she explained.

Germaine Greer, 77

Basic info 

Born in Australia, studied at the University of Melbourne. Now living in Essex, England.  

Career

Wrote the seminal book The Female Eunuch and became leading voice of second wave feminism. Held teaching positions at the University of Warwick and Cambridge.

Controversy

Stirred outrage last year with her comments about Caitlyn Jenner’s transition. 

“It's just women, any old women, Mrs Thatcher type women, the most belligerent leader Britain has probably ever had.

“Not that we can't be bellicose. We can. But if what you want to do is make the world a safer, kinder, happier place then simply substituting men with women wouldn't cut it.”

She said quotas for introducing a certain amount of women onto male-only boards were largely redundant because the women who did make it to the boardroom were unlikely to be “hell raisers” who would challenge the status quo and make a difference. Instead, she argued they would behave like the men do in order to fit in.