Unionists unite on definition of woman - but other parties remain silent as Sunak promises legal clarity

By David Thompson
Published 3rd Jun 2024, 17:39 BST
The Tories said the Equality Act 2010 has “not kept pace with evolving interpretations and is not sufficiently clear on when it means sex and when it means gender”. The party said it will change the Act to make clear that the protected characteristic of sex is “biological sex”, rather than gender. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, quoted in the release, said “making this change in law” would enhance protections and address “current confusion around definitions of sex and gender”.Photo: Jonathan Brady/PA WireThe Tories said the Equality Act 2010 has “not kept pace with evolving interpretations and is not sufficiently clear on when it means sex and when it means gender”. The party said it will change the Act to make clear that the protected characteristic of sex is “biological sex”, rather than gender. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, quoted in the release, said “making this change in law” would enhance protections and address “current confusion around definitions of sex and gender”.Photo: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
The Tories said the Equality Act 2010 has “not kept pace with evolving interpretations and is not sufficiently clear on when it means sex and when it means gender”. The party said it will change the Act to make clear that the protected characteristic of sex is “biological sex”, rather than gender. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, quoted in the release, said “making this change in law” would enhance protections and address “current confusion around definitions of sex and gender”.Photo: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
Unionist parties have in principle backed proposals from the Tories to clarify the meaning of biological sex in equality law amid confusion prompted by trans activists demands for self-identification of gender.

However, Sinn Fein, Alliance and the SDLP have remained tight-lipped on the issue.

The News Letter asked all local parties if they supported the Tory policy – and if they believed similar changes should be made to Northern Ireland’s equality laws.

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The DUP’s South Antrim candidate Paul Girvan said: “Where some parties struggle to define a woman, we don’t. It’s a biological fact. A woman is an adult female human being.

“We are open to any legislative changes which are necessary to help public services to be provided based on the biological facts.

“Toilets and changing rooms should be provided on the basis of sex whether it be in schools, hospitals or other aspects of public services. Biological men should not be competing in female sporting events.

“This trend is representative of the rising influence of gender identity ideology in society, which risks anonymising the status and life experience of women and girls and infringing sex-based rights that have been secured over many years”.

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The UUP said they would support any such legislation that removes ‘confusion’ on the issue, adding: “The fact that we have to even consider legislating to clarify that there are two biological sexes is an indictment of where we are as a society.

TUV Lagan Valley candidate Lorna Smyth: said that TUV/Reform UK is clear on the issue: “A woman is an adult female and her sex is determined at birth. Sex is real, it is important and it is immutable. It is disturbing that some want to live in a society where biological reality is ignored.

“We would welcome such clarity in law as it would protect single sex spaces. However, given that the Tories have been in power for more than a decade one does have to question if they are really serious about doing anything. “I am pleased that my colleagues in Reform UK have forced the Tories hand on this but I suspect that when given the option to vote for a party which said this all along people will opt to vote Reform UK rather than putting any faith in the discredited Tories”.

Related topics:UnionistsDUPUUPSinn Fein

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