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We first heard about plans for this statue in 2011, at the same time that Wollstonecraft's nearby green plaque was unveiled to mark the 100th International Woman's Day.  The campaign, 'Mary on the Green' was reported as working towards a statue of Mary Wollstonecraft. It's not clear when or why that became a statue 'for' Wollstonecraft rather than 'of' Wollstonecraft. This important distinction was not widely understood and when the naked statue was unveiled many were outraged at this apparent disrespectful representation of Wollstonecraft, compared with the hundreds of statues of famous men who are always shown "with their pants on" to quote historian, Dr Hannah Greig, who was moved to investigate.

The controversy around the memorial has drawn many visitors - good for the cafe Lizzy's on the Green, but not so good for the grass around the artwork.