For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Germaine Greer has voiced her disapproval of Sir Elton John ’s decision to allow his husband, David Furnish, to be named as the mother of their sons on their birth certificates.
The couple have two children – Zachary, four, and Elijah, two – who were born to the same surrogate mother using the same anonymous egg donor.
Speaking at the Hay Festival, the feminist author said she felt that their decision to name Furnish the mother was damaging to the concept of motherhood.
“Sometimes I think that really the problem is the concept of motherhood, which we can't give any real structure to,” she said.
“Sir Elton John and his 'wife' David Furnish have entered on the birth certificate of their two sons that David Furnish is the mother. I'm sorry. That will give you an idea of how the concept of motherhood has emptied out. It's gone. It's been deconstructed.”
According to the article, originally published on the Mail Online , Greer also challenged the idea of IVF and the ‘genetic mother’.
“We now have a 'genetic' mother, who supplies eggs. It depends entirely on where she is if she is going to be allowed to know what happens to the eggs. And women tend to care.
“An egg is not a sperm, we do not produce 400million of them in one go. One miserable little egg pops every month.
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rightsShow all 29 1 /29Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Caitlyn Jenner "Why do people think it's OK to ask deeply personal questions when you're transgender?"
Reuters / Vanity Fair
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Kanye West "Look, I can be married to the most beautiful woman in the world, and I am. I can have the most beautiful little daughter in the world, and I have that. But I'm nothing if I can't be me. If I can't be true to myself, they don't mean anything," the rapper said about Jenner.
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Stephen Fry "Homosexuals are not interested in making other people homosexuals. Homophobes are interested in making other people homophobic."
Rex
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Hillary Clinton "Gay rights are human rights."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Anderson Cooper - Journalist and TV host “The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.”
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Laverne Cox - Actress '"We are not what other people say we are. We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love."
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights PM David Cameron "I am proud that we have made same-sex marriage happen. I am delighted that the love two people have for each other — and the commitment they want to make — can now be recognised as equal."
AFP/Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Kellie Maloney "We don't have a choice. People think we wake up one morning, put a dress on and be a woman. I knew about it when I was very young but I was brought up in a male world and had responsibilities, I was frightened and I wanted to beat it. I didn't want to lose my friends. In the end I was so depressed and so desperate, I tried to commit suicide about three times."
Getty
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Ellen DeGeneres - comedian and TV host "To me beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin. It's about knowing and accepting who you are."
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights President Barack Obama "Just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that's not what America's about. Usually, our constitutions expand liberties, they don't contract them."
AFP/Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Zac Efron - Actor "To me, being gay was just another way that you can be."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Lance Bass - former NSYNC member "The thing is, I'm not ashamed - that's the one thing I want to say. I don't think it's wrong, I;m not devastated going through this. I'm more liberated and happy."
Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Ed Miliband - former Labour leader "Whether you're gay or straight, you should be able to signify your commitment, your love, with the term marriage."
Reuters
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Kate Bornstein - Author "Gender is not sane. It's not sane to call a rainbow black and white."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Adam Levine - Maroon 5's singer "Maybe we should make straight marriage illegal. It doesn't seem to have a very high success rate."
GETTY IMAGES
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Tom Daley - Olympic diver "I felt so alone and trapped in who I was... for people to be so supportive about it has been amazing."
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Kurt Cobain - Former musician "I'm not gay, although I wish I were just to piss off the homophobes."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Jay-Z - Rapper "You choose to love whoever you love. It's no different than discriminating against blacks."
PA
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Brittney Griner - Basketball player "I am a strong, black, lesbian woman. Every single time I say it, I feel so much better."
Rex Features
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Daniel Radcliffe - Actor "You don't have to be gay to be a supporter, you just have to be human."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Nick Jonas - musician "My thoughts on gay marriage are that everyone has the right to love and be loved, and that's the position I take."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Elle Page - Actress "I am tired of hiding and I am tired of lying by omission... I suffered for years because I was scared to be out... I'm gay."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Michael Sam - NFL player "I want to own my truth... No one else should tell my story but me."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Pink - singer "I think the best day will be when we no longer talk about being gay or straight... It's not a gay wedding, it's just a wedding. It's not a gay marriage, it's just a marriage."
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Jason Collins - former NFL player "When I acknowledged my sexuality, I felt whole for the first time."
GETTY IMAGES
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Ricky Martin - singer "Acceptance has to come from within and this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed."
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Frank Ocean - Musician "I believe that marriage isn't between a man and a woman; but between love and love."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Neil Patrick Harris - Actor "I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest."
Getty Images
Inspirational quotes about LGBT rights Elton John "So I am deeply saddened and shocked over the current legislation that is now in place against the LGBT community here in Russia. In my opinion, it is inhumane and it is isolating."
Getty Images
“I'm sorry. Did we talk about this? Did we sit down and talk about what eggs mean to women?”
In March, Sir Elton faced criticism from Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana .
“The only family is the traditional one,” the openly gay fashion moguls said.
“No chemical offsprings and rented uterus: life has a natural flow, there are things that should not be changed.”
They later clarified their comments , but only after Sir Elton called for fans and supporters of LGBT rights to boycott the brand.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies