J.K. Rowling is standing up for women again:
For the record the dictionary definitions for woman are: an adult female human being; a female member of a workplace, team etc.; a female person associated with a particular place, activity or occupation; a female belonging to a particular category; a wife or female sexual partner.
The definition of woman has become controversial because of the political trope that trans women are women and that anyone who disagrees with that is transphobic.
Sigh.
It is quite possible to accept the biological reality that someone born with X and Y chromosomes can never be the same as someone born with two X chromosomes, regardless of what surgical and medical treatment they undergo, without being transphobic.
Behind the debate over the word woman are issues of safety for trans women in men’s places and the question of whether trans women can compete in women’s sport.
The solution that trans activists seek, to allow them in women’s places, can, and does, raise issues of safety for women; and competing with women in sport raises issues of fairness.
The solution to both doesn’t lie in denying biological reality or redefining words. It requires a way for trans women to be safe without compromising women’s safety and to compete is sport fairly.
Neither will be achieved by ignoring biological reality, trying to distort language, or by labelling as transphobic anyone whose views don’t fit those of the trans activists.
Homepaddock 