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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

I find this disappointing from Lady Hale

92 replies

theDudesmummy · 22/05/2025 19:55

Part-way down the piece: “I was with some doctors last week who said there is no such thing as biological sex,” she said.

What in earth is that supposed to mean? Sex is a biological descriptor. Does she believe this nonsense? Surely not? Am I misunderstanding something?

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/22/court-ruling-legal-definition-of-a-woman-misinterpreted-lady-hale?CMP=share_btn_url

Court ruling on legal definition of a woman ‘misinterpreted’, Lady Hale says

Speaking at book festival in east Sussex, former supreme court president says reaction to judgment ‘very binary’

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/22/court-ruling-legal-definition-of-a-woman-misinterpreted-lady-hale?CMP=share_btn_url

OP posts:
NecessaryScene · 22/05/2025 19:59

You could also say there's also no such thing as doctors, last week or the Guardian.

Before you even start on festivals, east Sussex, legal, definition and misinterpreted.

Compared to those, sex is pretty fucking concrete.

mrshoho · 22/05/2025 20:00

Was it Dr Helen and Dr Mike Webberley by any chance?

TeiTetua · 22/05/2025 20:06

theDudesmummy · 22/05/2025 19:55

Part-way down the piece: “I was with some doctors last week who said there is no such thing as biological sex,” she said.

What in earth is that supposed to mean? Sex is a biological descriptor. Does she believe this nonsense? Surely not? Am I misunderstanding something?

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/22/court-ruling-legal-definition-of-a-woman-misinterpreted-lady-hale?CMP=share_btn_url

Did she mean to add "And they have god-like knowledge, so of course I agree with them" or was it "But they are evidently idiots on this topic, so nobody ought to take them seriously"?

DragonRunor · 22/05/2025 20:07

I’d love to hear an explanation of why there is ‘no such thing as biological sex’. Every (medical) doctor knows that they need to know the sex of their patient to correctly interpret symptoms (and correctly prescribe solutions). I’d be extremely wary of being treated by any doctor who believed my sex was irrelevant!

theDudesmummy · 22/05/2025 20:09

Even in circumstances, medical or otherwise, where your sex might be irrelevant, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist! Ffs.

OP posts:
Crouton19 · 22/05/2025 20:11

Where they doctors of philosophy, not the medical kind?

ItsCoolForCats · 22/05/2025 20:12

The article says this about her daughter:

When asked by an audience member whether trans women should count towards gender quotas on company boards, she said: “The idea that the trigger for all of this case was whether trans women should represent women in the representation of women on boards, I find heartbreaking.” She said she would love to have “a talented trans woman sitting on a board of mine”.

I suspect her daughter's views are having an influence.

thenoisiesttermagant · 22/05/2025 20:17

NecessaryScene · 22/05/2025 19:59

You could also say there's also no such thing as doctors, last week or the Guardian.

Before you even start on festivals, east Sussex, legal, definition and misinterpreted.

Compared to those, sex is pretty fucking concrete.

Yes this. We could lose the ability to speak words or understand the concept of a newspaper and everyone would still recognise everyone else's sex.

It's a pretty fundamental requirement for survival of the species. All mammals have two sexes, and for a lot of them ability to recognise sex is inbuilt - even across species. Many dogs, for example, recognise the sex of humans (some dogs don't like and recognise men, whatever their gender identity).

We'll lose the ability to speak before we lose the ability to recognise sex.

Fenlandia · 22/05/2025 20:20

I find it unsettling when supposedly clever people, with power over us, spout this nonsense. To borrow from something I saw on X, are we all just random gender identities bumping into each other until sometimes a baby pops out?

ItsCoolForCats · 22/05/2025 20:23

Fenlandia · 22/05/2025 20:20

I find it unsettling when supposedly clever people, with power over us, spout this nonsense. To borrow from something I saw on X, are we all just random gender identities bumping into each other until sometimes a baby pops out?

It's just privileged people spouting luxury views.
But disappointing from a former judge.

illinivich · 22/05/2025 20:26

So many people have been eased into supporting trans ideology without any question. Now they are having to explain their (non existent) rationale, they can't.

Rather than just admitting that they didnt think too hard in the first place, they are forced to pretend that sex doesnt exist. Notice she still isn't thinking for herself- shes saying doctors are saying sex doesn't exist.

OldCrone · 22/05/2025 20:30

Speaking at the Charleston literary festival in East Sussex, the first female president of the supreme court...

How can she be the first female president, if biological sex doesn't exist?

thenoisiesttermagant · 22/05/2025 20:32

Honestly, when supposedly educated people in positions of power spout this bullshit I feel that, as a species, we may very well lose the ability to communicate in words in the not too distant future.

If you distort words to mean whatever you personally want with no reference to anyone else's understanding, what's the point?

OldCrone · 22/05/2025 20:33

Crouton19 · 22/05/2025 20:11

Where they doctors of philosophy, not the medical kind?

Probably PhDs in gender studies.

KnottyAuty · 22/05/2025 20:38

This article definitely is weasel words trying to placate everyone. Do trans women count for women quotas? blah blah avoid question. Some doctors said they don't believe that sex is binary. I say there has been a big reaction to the judgment. Let's all find the middle ground. It is for everyone to work out how the EA applies to their situation. Aren't unisex toilets at this lovely middle class book festival wonderful. Fence sitting in spectacular form

OldCrone · 22/05/2025 20:41

Some doctors said they don't believe that sex is binary.

She didn't say that though. She said: “I was with some doctors last week who said there is no such thing as biological sex,”

What sort of doctor would come out with that sort of bollocks? I hope no medical doctor would say something so ridiculous.

Arran2024 · 22/05/2025 20:44

The average reader might assume that she had something to do with last month's Supreme Court judgement and is clarifying what they meant but she left the Supreme Court five years ago. She was not involved and no way should she be saying this. Her daughter seems to be a trans rights supporter.

zenas · 22/05/2025 20:46

On the sauce with a dessert of shrooms I'd say. Otherwise we are fkd.

Theeyeballsinthesky · 22/05/2025 20:47

ItsCoolForCats · 22/05/2025 20:12

The article says this about her daughter:

When asked by an audience member whether trans women should count towards gender quotas on company boards, she said: “The idea that the trigger for all of this case was whether trans women should represent women in the representation of women on boards, I find heartbreaking.” She said she would love to have “a talented trans woman sitting on a board of mine”.

I suspect her daughter's views are having an influence.

Indeed! It’s Helen Joyce’s chilling effect in action

KnottyAuty · 22/05/2025 20:51

OldCrone · 22/05/2025 20:41

Some doctors said they don't believe that sex is binary.

She didn't say that though. She said: “I was with some doctors last week who said there is no such thing as biological sex,”

What sort of doctor would come out with that sort of bollocks? I hope no medical doctor would say something so ridiculous.

Loads of them are saying it. Dr Upton. A load of folk in the BMA. All cultists. Weird

KnottyAuty · 22/05/2025 20:52

Arran2024 · 22/05/2025 20:44

The average reader might assume that she had something to do with last month's Supreme Court judgement and is clarifying what they meant but she left the Supreme Court five years ago. She was not involved and no way should she be saying this. Her daughter seems to be a trans rights supporter.

I was reading it as fence sitting myself. But let's face it after the Guardian have scrambled it, they might have been saying the complete opposite of the selected quotes?

Chersfrozenface · 22/05/2025 20:52

If there's no such thing as biological sex, how does she think humans reproduce?

How does she think she and her daughter came into this world?

And how do these "doctors" explain human reproduction? Parthenogenesis? Binary fission?

How do vets think mammals reproduce? Or birds?

AnnaMagnani · 22/05/2025 20:55

As a doctor, I sadly could introduce you to doctors that would say that.
They are a small group but loud.
I could also find you a larger group of doctors who do think there is biological sex but also that we should 'be kind' and 'most oppressed group in history'. They are also loud.

The rest of us are just keeping our heads down to stay in work and avoid being called bigots. Also we tend to be friends/colleagues of the two groups and if we avoid the subject at all costs we can still get on with each other. A bit like banning conversations about Brexit.

Mermoose · 22/05/2025 20:55

This is from a discussion about a judgement she made before she retired:

"The reason Lady Hale’s judgment for the majority is so objectionable is that it overturns settled case law and undercuts clear statutory policy in order to facilitate commercial surrogacy arrangements that would be illegal if they took place in this country."

https://judicialpowerproject.org.uk/unlicensed-law-reformer-lady-hale-and-the-law-of-surrogacy/

Unlicensed law reformer? Lady Hale and the law of surrogacy | Judicial Power Project

https://judicialpowerproject.org.uk/unlicensed-law-reformer-lady-hale-and-the-law-of-surrogacy/

EmeraldRoulette · 22/05/2025 20:56

AnnaMagnani · 22/05/2025 20:55

As a doctor, I sadly could introduce you to doctors that would say that.
They are a small group but loud.
I could also find you a larger group of doctors who do think there is biological sex but also that we should 'be kind' and 'most oppressed group in history'. They are also loud.

The rest of us are just keeping our heads down to stay in work and avoid being called bigots. Also we tend to be friends/colleagues of the two groups and if we avoid the subject at all costs we can still get on with each other. A bit like banning conversations about Brexit.

Edited

@AnnaMagnani do you know how they would explain reproduction please?