

Greer's irreverence towards Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis was inspired by Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex. In sections titled "Body", "Soul", "Energy", "Love" and "Hate" Greer examines historical definitions of women's perception of self and uses a premise of imposed limitations to critique modern consumer societies, female " normality", and masculine shaping of stereotypes quoting, "The World has lost its soul, and I my sex." In contrast to earlier feminist works, Greer uses humour, boldness, and coarse language to present a direct and candid description of female sexuality, much of this subject having remained undiscussed in English-speaking societies. It was a key text of the feminist movement in the 1970s, broadly discussed and criticised by other feminists and the wider community, particularly through the author's high profile in the broadcast media. The book is a feminist analysis, written with a mixture of polemic and scholarly research. Ī sequel to The Female Eunuch, entitled The Whole Woman, was published in 1999. It has been translated into eleven languages. It received a mixed reception, but by March 1971, it had nearly sold out its second printing.

The book was published in London in October 1970. Greer's thesis is that the "traditional" suburban, consumerist, nuclear family represses women sexually, and that this devitalises them, rendering them eunuchs. The Female Eunuch is a 1970 book by Germaine Greer that became an international bestseller and an important text in the feminist movement.
