The Need for Revolutionary Feminism by Sheila Jeffreys 1977

There is a need for revolutionary feminism for two very important reasons – one is the liberal takeover of the women’s liberation movement, and the other is the grave lack of theory in the movement. Paper presented at the 1977 national Women’s Liberation Movement Conference in London by Sheila Jeffreys and re-printed in the Socialist […]


Reject commercial surrogacy as another form of human trafficking

The practice of reproductive surrogacy is in the news in Australia because of the story of a Thai child, Gammy, a twin who was apparently abandoned by the buyers because he was sick. They took his healthy sister. This story should not be seen as just an individual bad news story. It has much to tell […]


The politics of the toilet: A feminist response to the campaign to ‘degender’ a women’s space

“This article is a feminist response to the campaigning activism and queer and transgender theory which promotes the ‘degendering’ of public toilets. This campaign originates in the demands of men who transgender to access women’s toilets. Activists argue that sex segregation of toilets is the result of nineteenth century moralism and is a discriminatory practice. […]


The Lesbian Revolution – October 2018

The Lesbian Revolution cover image

The Lesbian Revolution: lesbian feminism in the UK 1970-1990 Sheila Jeffreys FiLiA Salford, Greater Manchester October 2018   I am going to talk today about my new book The Lesbian Revolution: lesbian feminism in the UK 1970-1990. The book is a history of lesbian feminism, and I wrote it with two purposes. One was simply […]


So, why do we pander to the beauty industry again? 17 August 2017

Image of woman in high heels

High Heels, Low Status As a feminist who argues that beauty practices are harmful to women’s equality, I have been accused of being a killjoy who spoils the fun women get from crippling shoes, depilation, revealing clothing, makeup, figure-hugging dresses and short skirts. But the wearing of high heels, for instance, is not just a harmless […]


The Politics of the Toilet: A feminist response to the ‘degendering’ of a women’s space

Toilet door image

This article is a feminist response to the campaigning activism and queer and transgender theory which promotes the ‘degendering’ of public toilets. This campaign originates in the demands of men who transgender to access women’s toilets. Activists argue that sex segregation of toilets is the result of nineteenth century moralism and is a discriminatory practice. […]


The Transgendering of Children: Gender Eugenics

Child image

This article argues that the emerging practice of transgendering children should be seen as a form of gender eugenics which has similarities with the practice of sexual surgeries carried out as a result of eugenics ideas in the early twentieth century. In the earlier period those suffering severe poverty, homosexuals, criminals, people with mental health […]


Let us be free to debate transgenderism without being accused of ‘hate speech’ – May 2012

Researchers and theorists who question the practice of transgenderism are subjected to campaigns of intimidation Criticism of the practice of transgenderism is being censored as a result of a campaign of vilification by transgender activists of anyone who does not accept the new orthodoxy on this issue. A recent Comment is free piece by the transgender activist […]


Eugenics and the practice of transgendering children – November 2011

Child image

“The practice of eugenics is returning to contemporary Australia in the treatment of transgendered children. With the cooperation of the Family Court, children as young as ten are being put on puberty delaying drugs after being diagnosed with “gender identity disorder” or “gender dysphoria”. There is the expectation that they will be moved onto cross-sex hormones at […]


Desecularisation and Sexual Equality

Rosary image

There has been a rise in the political power of organised religions in both western countries and the non-west in the last two decades. There has been desecularisation of the public sphere in countries such as the UK and Australia which takes the form of deliberate government policy both to consult with ‘faith communities’ and […]