AUSTRALIAN academic and feminist Germaine Greer gave a speech to a Dorset girls school.

The author of The Female Eunuch, which became a bestseller in 1970, delivered a speech at Sherborne Girls School on her latest book The Disappearing Women.

The book, and her speech, discusses the theory that at each stage of their lives; wife, mother, mother-in-law and grandmother that women are becoming less visible.

Sherborne Girls headmistress Jenny Dwyer said: “We have a tradition at Sherborne Girls of welcoming strong speakers to the school and I know the girls were very interested to hear Germaine Greer’s views as a leading feminist voice of the 20th century.

“From the role of women in the boardroom to the perception of elderly women as invisible in care homes, the talk was both lively and thought-provoking, and will hopefully inspire much classroom discussion.”

The writer is the latest in a line of speakers including neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield, Kids Company founder Camila Batmanghelidjh and Olympic gold winner Sir Matthew Pinsent.