She was constantly cropping up on gender-studies-related course lists when I was at University.Sometimes unpopular, she was one of the first feminists to talk about the ‘crisis of masculinity’. And she took a strong line on too much talk about gender differences - as equally wary of radical feminist mythologizing of femininity as the contemporary popularity of evolutionary psychology. “By the 80’s populist feminism had turned into a sort of female chauvinism”, she says heatedly when I speak to her over the phone. “Feminists like Andrea Dworkin were polarising the virtues of women with the vices of men.” As to the idea that men and women are hardwired differently - “Nowadays men and women are starting to resemble each other more and more which seems to make people think it’s important to emphasise a basic blueprint about difference based on rules of nature. I don’t buy into any of that. It’s just fairy stories”.
So is feminism still relevant today? I ask each woman in turn before they ring off. “Feminism means something different today”, says Segal thoughtfully. “I would still regard myself as a feminist but as a Left feminist, and concerned with other forms of radical and egalitarian issues. Things which excite people politically are different. They tend to think in more global terms”. And Michéle Roberts? “I think being a feminist is more important than ever... women are constantly being told that everything is fine so they’re told off for whinging. But whilst there are still gross inequalities in wages, where there is rape and violence against women, we still need feminism”. It should be a fascinating discussion. ER