Boris Johnson just stated that biology dictates what is a man / woman

[NoWordForFluffy]

Just now on PMQs.

Has he ever come out and said that before?

As long as he prevents selfID, while Labour would rush it through, he'll get my vote.

Not a fan of Boris Johnson but this issue is so fundamental that I could be persuaded to vote Tory or at the very least abstain and not vote. I am disappointed that Labour have taken the stance they have.I feel that at the fact Boris Johnson has said this means that we can now be freer in what we say.

Hmm, Ive always thought that he says the right things, so that he can carry on doing the wrong things.. with relative impunity.

Yes. But until recently this has NOT been the "right thing" to say. It is really important that he now thinks it is – and him saying it should help more and more people in public life to see that they can say it.

@JesusSufferingFuck22

Please don't vote Tory because of this.

I will. As will others. The other parties have made it very, very clear women are not welcome.

@Theeyeballsinthefuckingsky

I loathe the man with a passion & I know full well he’s only commenting like this because he knows Labour are making themselves look like tits on this issue

It’s purely electoral politics

How can Labour not see they are loading up the ammunition and firing a gun in their own face over this? Absolute idiots

Well said

'I think trans issues are really important, but they affect such a small minority of people of any gender.'

Several of our friends' families and part of my own are directly affected by the issue that Angela Richardson actually asked about: teenage daughters suddenly identifying as male. Two (at least) that we know have taken testosterone and made permanent changes to their very young bodies. One had a double mastectomy practically the minute she turned 18.

It's a minority but not remotely a 'tiny' minority amongst families we know well.

Frankly it feels like any bright, nervy, slightly nonconforming teenage girl is vulnerable to this idiocy ideology.

@JesusSufferingFuck22

Please don't vote Tory because of this.

You've no right to ask this.

I'm done holding my nose and voting Labour because that's what The Goodies do; it's their job to persuade me to vote for them.

They have not, and so I will not.

I'm sick of spoiling my paper and I want to make a positive statement: don't respect my sex, don't expect my X.

Btw I spoiled my ballot last time because of the issue (didn't want to vote for Boris). It's not the first election it has been important to me. I know others on MN did similarly

'Btw I spoiled my ballot last time because of the issue (didn't want to vote for Boris).'

Same here. Didn't feel great about it, but honestly had no choice

Have we ever doubted he knows what a woman is?

@GrimDamnFanjo

Have we ever doubted he knows what a woman is?

I'd be concerned if he hadn't worked out where all those babies are coming from

Unlike others, though, he has ADMITTED he knows.

In 2017, like most previous elections I voted for Labour/Corbyn. I was well aware of their terrible attitude to women on this issue by then but still felt, as many did, there was a chance they'd listen and turn it around.

By 2019 I'd realised Labour were a lost cause but not being a fan of BJ I voted for a niche party outside of the main 4 as a protest.

Will I vote Tory at the next election as a means of holding the line? Yeah I might if none of the other main 3 get their act together and stop with all this misogynistic, anti science crap.

I don't even think the Tories as a whole are great on this issue, a few individuals are but as a whole party they've been slow on the uptake given what an open goal Labour et al have given them. That may be about to change, we'll see.

Yes, I don't doubt that Boris, Keir or any MPs know exactly what a woman is. I know they all know the material facts of biology, that humans can not change sex. That sex matters for many reasons for women and girls.

The difference is that Boris as the leader of the Conservative party will admit it on record, that clearly sets out the party line.

Keir Starmer will happily pretend, lie, that he does not, clearly setting out his party line.

@tabbycatstripy

'Please don't vote Tory because of this.'

I will. My MP (Tory) has answered me in calm and courteous terms. Has emailed the Minister for Equalities, has been supportive of my concerns and is going to meet with me.

Labour politicians have called me a dinosaur and suggested I am some sort of fool for knowing who does and who does not have a cervix.

They have lost my vote.

This.

I've never voted Tory in the 30 odd years I've had the vote, & never imagined I would.

My constituency MP is a Conservative who took the time to reply to my email personally & whose response was considered but unequivocally in support of women's rights.

His Labour counterpart's response was why I left the party.

I was set to spoil my vote, but Starmer & Johnson's respective stances are why I'll be voting Tory.

& once we've all agreed that women matter AND we vote...normal service will be resumed, & I'll vote according to my lefty principles once more.

This time I'm just voting for women. Single issue. Not apologetic in the slightest about that.

& if Labour want my vote back before the GE, I've been very clear as to the terms on which they can expect it. They need to respect my sex, or they can whistle for my 'X'.

"Boris Johnson has a track record of standing by what he says."

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

@HannibalHeyes

@twelly

Not a fan of Boris Johnson but this issue is so fundamental that I could be persuaded to vote Tory or at the very least abstain and not vote. I am disappointed that Labour have taken the stance they have.I feel that at the fact Boris Johnson has said this means that we can now be freer in what we say.

How chilling is it that we as women feel safer in our free speech rights because of something obvious and factual the PM of the day has stated. No political parties except the Tories seem any longer to believe in 'I don't agree with what you are saying but I defend your right to say it'. I was brought up to think free speech was the crux of democracy. It has been so badly undermined over the last 10 years it is frightening; especially in Scotland where you are not free to express your views in your own home under the 'hate speech' laws which the Scottish Conservatives worked on to tone down and amend but also voted against at the end of the day quite rightly.

@A580Hojas

It would be so helpful if we could have just the one thread on this subject.

Well, this one was first, so 🤷‍♀️

Johnson's current wife Carrie is totally TWAW, and got up at the Tory party conference to urge MPs to support trans rights.

Given that trans people already have the same rights as everyone else, plus a few extra ones such as changing the sex on their birth certificates, those "rights" actually mean the right to trespass in women-only spaces.

Good on Johnson (probably the only time I'll ever say that!) for speaking up for reality.

Would someone be able to explain to me, if the Tories are the only party to acknowledge biological reality, how is it that male prisoners can identify into female prison estates, and male patients have the opportunity to sexually assault female patients in hospital? Not at all trying to be goady. I care very deeply about this issue - came for the babies, stayed for the feminism.

I've never voted Conservative but will at the next election to prevent Labour from getting into number 10 though I am in a fairly sage Labour seat. Hopefully Labour can use the next term if office to realise they need the votes of half the population. Starmer is a coward and thinks we are thick (think back to his statement about preserving women's space but TWAW).

Probably because Boris will say all kinds of things to look good but in reality it means very little.

And the same for the rest of the party I imagine.

No idea. Tend to agree.

@Bancha

Would someone be able to explain to me, if the Tories are the only party to acknowledge biological reality, how is it that male prisoners can identify into female prison estates, and male patients have the opportunity to sexually assault female patients in hospital? Not at all trying to be goady. I care very deeply about this issue - came for the babies, stayed for the feminism.

There are lots of theories about this some of them discussed in Kathleen Stock's book. Stonewall's long-term incursion into the Civil Service, NHS, schools etc; social media rabbitholes; Tories not wanting to be seen to be repeating Section 28 of the Thatcher years.

The Tories decided against implementing self-id but we now need the adverse effects to be rolled back too: actions not just words.
I have some hope that the new single sex spaces guidelines being drawn up by the EHRC will go someway to spelling out women's existing sex-based rights and how they should be applied in practice rather than ignored. This would relate to the prisons issue etc.