'Nonsensical!' JK Rowling takes aim at Labour women's minister in trans row
Labour's new womens and equalities minster has been criticised for failing to define a woman
JK Rowling has described Anneliese Dodds’ definition of a woman as “nonsensical” following her appointment as women and equalities minister.
The Harry Potter author shared a transcript of an interview Dodds did with BBC’s Woman’s Hour in March 2022 where she said “there are different definitions legally around what a woman actually is”.
When asked by Emma Barnett what Labour’s definition of a woman is, Ms Dodds said: “Well, I have to say that there are different definitions legally around what a woman actually is. I mean you look at the definition within the Equality Act and I think it just says someone who is adult and female, I think, but then doesn’t say how you define either of those things.
"I mean that’s then… you’ve got the biological definition, the legal definition, all of this kind of thing."
When pressed again by the presenter, she said: “Well, I think with respect Emma I think it does depend what the context is, surely. You know there are people who have decided to…that they have to make that transition.
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“You know, I’ve spoken with many of them. It’s been a very difficult process for many of those people, and you know understandably because they live as a woman they want to be defined as a woman. That’s what the Gender Recognition Act – again a Labour process – brought into place.”
JK Rowling, born as Joanne Kathleen Rowling, admitted she came across the transcript after Dodds’ office sent it to her after she “ publicly criticised her prevarication” on the programme.
She added: “They seemed to think I'd find her comments less nonsensical if I saw them in print.”
But the women’s campaigner said: “It looked even worse written down.”
Sir Keir Starmer recently said he agreed with Sir Tony Blair that a woman has a vagina and a man has a penis.
It marks a hardening of the Prime Minister’s stance on biological sex, having previously said that “99.9% of women” do not have a penis.
Sir Keir told how he supported the former prime minister’s recent comments on the definition of a woman.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly faced questions about his views on transgender issues and has faced criticism for some of his previous remarks on the topic.