British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has sparked controversy with his recent comments on transgender people. During his closing speech at the 2023 Conservative Party conference on October 4, he stated, “A man is a man and a woman is a woman”. Sunak emphasized that individuals cannot be any sex they want to be and referred to it as “common sense.”
While some supported Sunak’s views, many criticized his remarks as disrespectful towards the transgender community. Some responded with mockery, stating that his comments were far from common sense.
One user expressed their anger towards the attacks on the transgender community, describing them as vile. Another criticized Sunak’s biology knowledge, highlighting the complexity of biological sex and its relevance to the gender argument.
Some accused Sunak of failing to understand the difference between sex and gender and expressed concern about the increasingly radical stance of the Tory party.
It is important to note that Sunak’s comments come after Health Secretary Steve Barclay proposed a plan on October 3 to ban transgender women from receiving treatment in female hospital wards in England. This proposal has generated backlash from moderate Tory MPs, who fear LGBTQ+ individuals are being targeted.
Sunak’s stance on transgender rights was previously evident in April when he stated that “women do not have penises.” In an interview with ConservativeHome, Sunak was asked about his agreement with a statement claiming that 99.9 percent of women do not have penises. Sunak responded affirmatively, stating that the figure was indeed 100 percent.
The response to Sunak’s comments continues to unfold.