Women don't have penises - sex and gender are different - Anneliese Dodds shadow secretary of state for women and equalities

[IwantToRetire]

Anyone reassured by this comment, or will she end up being sidelined by Labour?

See this twitter thread for the context in which this was said https://twitter.com/JeanHatchet/status/1661622259092451330

WPUK are hailing it as a major breakthrough https://womansplaceuk.org/2023/05/25/anneliese-dodds-sex-gender-are-different/

Oh I hope this is the start of Labour wising up. Otherwise I have no idea who to vote for at the next general election!

Recognising sex and gender as different is one thing, but if labour still want to prioritise gender over sex then it's still an issue. Plus, I don't trust Labour at all, and I reckon she'll be apologising and pleading forgiveness in a day or two.

Shadow Secretary is capable of stating basic reality. Well it's certainly a good start for fitness to be an MP, yes.

I'll watch for Labour's response, but I'm afraid I'm deeply, deeply cynical about 'don't frighten the horses' empty noises. When the gender debate takes place, and actions start to sort out the Equality Act, and when we see Rosie Duffield apologised to, and Labour stand up against what's happening in the EHRC, and about the police's appalling lack of action in the face of activists silencing and threatening women, and how they'd ensure equality of access and treatment for mere females as well as other groups....?

Then I might start wondering if they were sane enough to run a country. Actions, not words.

Well, quite. They can say that making it easier to get a Gender Recognition Certificate will make no difference, as gender is different from sex.

Except that they will then go on to ensure that transwomen have to be treated as women in all cases. And that anyone objecting to this will be guilty of a hate crime.

I do not trust the weaselly tykes.

(Apologies to weasels. And mongrels )

I want action, not words, from Labour.

I don't trust Starmer on this issue. Bet she ends up apologising. I never thought I'd vote Tory but I will because of this issue.

Well, I'm (very) tentatively reassured. Hoping she can stand her ground. I'm never convinced on here that the people making the most noise about labour's shortcomings wouldn't have just voted tory anyway.

I think we need to see how labour MPs behave on the 12th June on the debate about clarifying Sex and Gender in the the Equality Act.
I also wonder whether the fact that Kelly J Keen will stand for election against Keir Starmer had made them think. I still don’t trust them though.

Which would make them automatically bad people?

If Labour want votes, they have to offer a reason for them.

It was clearly a rehearsed response. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing - all senior politicians need to expect to answer the women with penises question.

I do worry though that Labour are trying to draft their way out of this one, crafting language that doesn’t really satisfy anyone, trying to throw enough of a bone to women that they shut up but still opens the door to changes that disadvantage women.

And acknowledging that sex and gender are not the same does not deal with the point on who gets to access women’s spaces point.

I am thinking that Labour are now looking at the numbers and perhaps thinking they can pin lady penises on the Lib Dems in a deal if they fail to win a majority...

I will wait and see. And Labour can also wait and see whether I'll ever vote for them again.

This. She's not gone far enough to reassure me.

It's a start. Not recognising sex and gender as different means you can't even get off the starting block. It's pretty fundamental

I find this reassuring. It might not mean the tide is turning, but Ed Davey’s statement was quite terrifying in its stupidity. Just relieved she doesn’t share that viewpoint.

Women don’t have penises, for crying out loud!

So while I don’t trust Labour one jot, I think it could have been a lot worse if she’d gone along with Davey’s crazy…

Hmm I'd like to see Rosie Duffield properly treated and Lloyd Russel Moyle properly treated. i.e sanctions for the latter.

Now she needs to walk the walk. Unless and until Labour puts a clear commitment in the manifesto that they won't be getting my vote - and I'll need some convincing even then.

I would assert that if I appear to be voluble about the miserable state of the Labour Party, it is because I supported it for decades. I am thoroughly p1ssed off that I can no longer vote for this party. Being politically homeless is not a joke.

So they don't now? I thought five minutes ago Dave Eddy said they did?

Hmmmmm, so confusing. They need to put some great minds on this conundrum.

Brilliant!
That is a hopeful sign from Labour

Are Labour looking at the SNP and LibDem positions and trying to differentiate themselves just enough that they can tip the floating left wing vote in their favour by claiming to stand for women’s rights whilst leaving room for manoeuvre later?

Absolutely this. Voted Labour for years and I could never vote Tory. Right now, there's no party I feel able to support - and certainly not the weasely Lib Dems.