I’m wondering how Brian Holden thinks the world was populated, and how humans spread throughout the world, after starting from some place in Africa.

According to feminist theory, “Men” should have controlled "women”, and kept them behind.

Germaine Greer has contradicted herself on every word she has ever written, but the words that feminists choose to recite are of course those words that stereotype and denigrate men.

Thanks Brian for writing about these women and for noting the 40th anniversary of The Female Eunuch (is it? gee).

Metaphorically speaking, I suspect there are many, many an "unmarked grave" of females who performed heroic feats or who lived heroically in a more mundane sense.

Very interesting article and information.

Women in the 20's and 30's became adults by default. The marriageable male population of Britain , for example, was reduced by one third and women had to look after themselves. Their spirit grew; their 'soul' developed. They created businesses, became professionals, they were adventurers and explorers, authors and public officials. There were as many famous women aviators as men.

But the whiners and complainers, the weak and resentful, outnumbered them. The women who could not find Mr Perfect blamed men for dying in the war that the women sent them to fight. Then they did it all over again in the 50's after WW2. By the time the Greers came around the female zeitgiest was blame, blame, blame. Men, of course.

Oh for a return of those 20's and 30's women that could have made such good adult partners for men. Now we are just left with 'dependants' again. Whining ones. Tantrum-throwing ones.

Amfortas: <"The women who could not find Mr Perfect blamed men for dying in the war that the women sent them to fight.">

You're saying women caused WW1?

uh, seriously now -

I'd be interested in an elaboration on how that happened.

Is all the misandrist (anti-male) bashing necessary to laud the feats of these two remarkable women. The author has no idea how they thought about their world - please desist in overlaying your own prejudices on their situations.

"You're saying women caused WW1?

uh, seriously now -

I'd be interested in an elaboration on how that happened."

No, I didn't say that. No manipulations, mendacities or straw-women, please. I am sure most men would have asked for no 'white feathers' from their lady 'friends' either.

While the women were marching for the right to vote, 140,000 men died at the battle of the Somme, and most were unable to vote either.