@Fairenuff
The dictionary definition of the word woman hasn't changed. It's a legal definition. Except, as far as I know, it's there is no actual definition. Just that you can be legally called a woman, without defining how that actually works in terms of actual definition.
It's not illegal to stay transwomen are men.
Transactivists are manipulating the law to put pressure on people.
The equalities act says you cannot be discriminated against on the basis of 'gender reassignment'.
Gender reassignment is defined as, and I'm paraphrasing here, either transitioning to, or 'in the process of' transitioning to the opposite sex. So it's incredibly woolly, because you can just say it out loud but not actually do anything. As that could be considered being 'in the process of'.
So it means it's a protected characteristic and you can't be discriminated against on that basis.
It doesn't mean that discrimination is defined as not calling them a woman.
If someone has a gender recognition certificate, for which you need to be over 18, have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria and have 'lived' as the opposite sex for two years, you are legally considered a woman.
Approx 1% of people who identify as transgender have a certificate.
It means, to all intents and purposes they can say they are women. But even so, there are still exemptions in place.
Culturally, it's a different matter.
This whole issue is racing ahead at a rate of knots, and terms are not been defined. They are just being used.
So stating a transwoman is a man will get you accused of transphobia.
But unless you are discriminating under the equality law it doesn't matter what they call you. It's not transphobia.
Transphobia gets defined as negative attitudes or prejudice.
Prejudice is defined as a preconceived opinion not based on reason or experience. So clearly biology, is absolutely not prejudiced. Neither is there any judgement to it that could be construed as negative.
But transactivists have done a marvellous marketing job of making people scared to say what they absolutely can say.
In terms of sport, men are competing as women.
Lauren Halpern in Australia, Lauren Jeska, fell runner, in this country. Who stabbed an official in the neck because he said he needed to provide an analysis of his testosterone levels.
The Australian rugby/football player, whose name escapes me. Andrea Yearwood who has taken state titles in America, despite having no treatment whatsoever.
Gabrielle Ludwig basketball player.
In Iran, where homosexuality is illegal, so they have many more transwomen, half the women's football team are men.
Fallon Fox, boxer who broke the orbital bone of his female opponent.
The transwomen cyclists who came first, second and fourth in the women's event.
And many, anecdotal stories at county level and school level, right here on mumsnet. Citing children and adolescents, who can't possibly legally be the opposite sex.
The criteria is they have to have a lower testosterone level. I'm not a scientist, but it's under 10 something, where women only ever achieve four something (sorry, I don't know what the measurement actually is).
Which doesn't take into account any other physiology.
As a litmus test, ask yourself how many transman are beating men in sport? And, show me one man on the planet who gives a fuck whether a transman wants to compete with them.
Here is a link to some of the sports issues.
gendertrender.wordpress.com/?s=Sport+&submit=Search
Here is incredibly useful link set out by women laying out the equality law is and how exemptions can be invoked to protect women's rights.
lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/FPFW_UK_Equality_Act_2010_guide.pdf?token=AWy5vcUiNcAUc743GM5TtmqAaVbsXCIO7jRPo9sEBghth0ZmTWsZp9p11lEbt4DrmRrd1ciUrH9-WCG10Iq-475B0SBD79O5LZ_9FEOHVei98rQEaRz-9-5tbw6jls4l_VdOL_kLlp4cstwPlnxP_ZoCICVLC4XooCrvrdZHFet217jNQfIXu15zHRwJVF0DJ41a-onsu3f4Hx9PZnvhk9v2qB9m5gLEVdZZSMTasOEoFA