Feminist Germaine Greer took part in a ten-day political festival, organised by the Tom Paine Project.
In her essay, Thomas Paine and Women, Miss Greer suggested that far from being a champion of women's rights, the celebrated 18th Century radical was a woman-hater.
She spoke to members of the public on the subject at Lewes Town Hall yesterday.
Martin Brown, from the project, said: "It was controversial and generated half an hour of fierce debate."
The festival was organised to promote the life and works of the political philosopher and pamphleteer.
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