JK Rowling criticises appointment of women's minister who cannot explain what a woman is

JK Rowling hit out after Sir Keir Starmer appointed a new women’s minister who was unable to explain what a woman is.

The author warned that giving Anneliese Dodds the job adds to the “confusion” in the clash between women’s rights and the demands of trans extremists.

Ms Dodds was left floundering in an interview when she was asked to give Labour’s definition of a woman.

Rowling posted a transcript of the exchange, adding: “And if you happen to be wondering how I have the transcript of that Woman’s Hour to hand, it was sent to me by Dodds’ office after I publicly criticised her prevarication on the programme.

“They seemed to think I’d find her comments less nonsensical if I saw them in print.”

In the BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour in 2022, Ms Dodds said there are “different definitions legally around what a woman actually is” and, when pressed again, replied: “I think it does depend what the context is.”

Olympian Sharron Davies said: “I hope she listens to all groups including women who have been warning of conflicts of rights for years including issues that were highlighted in the Cass review.

“I hope she supports biological females, over half of us, based on the science, the actual statistics and what the people want, protecting all women’s sports for females, who already get so much less than their male counterparts.”

One Labour MP said: “It looks as though women have got a very raw deal indeed as most of those appointments are people who have previously centred a tiny minority of extreme activists as opposed to the vast majority view on women's rights to safe spaces.”

Sir Keir’s position on what a woman is changed from claiming that some could have penesis to saying women have vaginas and men have penesis during the election campaign.

The Labour leader is under close scrutiny from women’s rights campaigners over his plans to make it easier for men to identify as women.

Ms Dodds was appointed Women and Equalities Minister under Secretary Bridget Phillipson who also holds the title to make sure the brief has Cabinet level representation.

During the general election campaign, Ms Phillipson said the men who identify as women but remain biologically male and hold a gender recognition certificate should be able to use female facilities.

Maya Forstater, chief executive office of human-rights charity Sex Matters, said: “The prominence of sex-based rights during the election campaign showed that most people think genuinely single-sex spaces are essential, and that the government should move swiftly to fix the legal muddle that means service-providers are frightened to provide them.

“However Sir Keir decides to organise the women and equalities brief, we look forward to working with the incoming administration to ensure that the law works to guarantee women’s safety, dignity and privacy and to protect everyone’s human rights.”