Sunak Says Biological Sex Is ‘Fundamentally Important’

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak departs 10 Downing Stree, to attend Prime Minister's Questions at the Houses of Parliament, in London, on March 15, 2023. PA

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has emphasised his belief in biological sex, putting him in opposition to the leader of the Labour Party who has said that “99.9 percent of women do not have a penis” as Britain debates gender laws.

Speaking on Thursday with ConservativeHome, when asked what percentage of women have a penis, Sunak agreed with the statement that “of course” 100 percent of women do not have a penis, reaffirming his view that “biological sex is vitally, fundamentally important to these questions.”

Sunak distanced himself from Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer, who earlier this month said that 1 in 1,000 women have a penis.

“We should always have compassion and understanding and tolerance for those who are thinking about changing their gender. Of course we should,” said Sunak.

“But when it comes to these issues of protecting women’s rights, women’s spaces, I think the issue of biological sex is fundamentally important when we think about those questions,” he added.

“As a general operating principle for me, biological sex is vitally, fundamentally important in these questions. We can’t forget that,” added Sunak.

Polling

With a general election looming in 2024, the subject of gender ideology has become controversial.

According to a poll by Unherd, 38 percent agreed and 30 percent disagreed with the statement, “It is acceptable for adolescent children to make their own decisions about their gender identity.”

The poll also found that the subject “cuts across party lines and income groups,” while whole swathes of rural England are “deeply skeptical” and concentrated urban centres “feel very differently.”

There is renewed controversy surrounding the issue following the Scottish government’s decision to seek a judicial review after UK ministers intervened to prevent the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, passed by MSPs in December, from gaining royal assent.

The Scottish bill—championed by then-First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon—would have allowed anyone over the age of 16 to self-ID via a statutory declaration to obtain a new birth certificate, which changes the recording of their registered sex at birth to their chosen gender.

There would also be no requirement for an applicant to undergo surgery or hormone therapy, and the process to change sex on birth certificates would have been simplified.

‘Adverse Impact’

But the UK government blocked the bill in January, citing its “adverse impact” on UK-wide equalities protection.

On Wednesday, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf confirmed his government will go to court to challenge the UK government’s decision.

He said legal action is “now our only means of defending our Parliament’s democracy from the Westminster veto.”

Commenting on the issue on Wednesday, Sunak said the UK government’s decision to block the bill had been made “after taking very careful and considered advice.”

Speaking to reporters in Belfast, Sunak said the UK government had concerns about “how Scotland’s gender recognition act would interact with reserved powers, about the operation of the Equalities Act, the protection of women elsewhere in the UK as well.”

Isla Bryson, 31, formerly known as Adam Graham, from Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, arrives at the High Court in Glasgow, on Jan. 23, 2023. PA Media

The Scottish government’s position on transgenderism came under increased pressure after a male double rapist was sent to a women’s prison. Adam Graham, who now claims to be transgender and changed his name to Isla Bryson, was sent to Cornton Vale women’s prison near Stirling to await sentencing after being convicted.

In January, the Scottish government confirmed that Graham/Bryson won’t be incarcerated at a women’s prison.

‘99.9 Percent of Women’

After Starmer’s assertion in a Sunday Times interview in April that “99.9 percent of women” do not have a penis, the Labour leader faced criticism from his own party.

“For 99.9 percent of women, it is completely biological ... and of course they haven’t got a penis,” said Starmer.

Rosie Duffield MP, who has been outspoken about women’s single-sex spaces and gender ideology and has criticised Scotland’s Gender Reform Bill wrote on Twitter: “There’s no ‘somehow’ or ‘could’ about the rolling back of women’s rights. It’s already a reality, one that huge numbers of women are frightened and furious about. Sir Keir could take a look at the 2,500 livid comments under his Sunday Times piece.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner at the launch of of Labour's 2022 local election campaign at The Brown Cow, Burrs Country Park, Bury, Greater Manchester, England, on March 31, 2022. Danny Lawson/PA

On Thursday, deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner argued that protecting women-only spaces does not need to come at the expense of supporting transgender people.

“We need safe spaces for women and we need to protect those safe places, but we also need to make sure that we move forward on transgender rights because they are some of the most marginalised and vulnerable groups in society.

“It’s absolutely right that we look at gender reforms so that we can treat them fairly, but that is not at odds with women’s rights overall and protecting women-only spaces.

“We can do both, and the Equalities Act that we brought in had exemptions in it for exactly making sure we can do that.”

PA Media and Alexander Zhang contributed to the report.