First Minister comes under fire after refusing to define meaning of ‘woman’

NICOLA Sturgeon has refused to define what a woman is.

The First Minister, who last year described herself as a “feminist to my fingertips”, said to do so would “oversimplify” the debate on transgender rights.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross suggested her response was a failure of leadership and would be “troubling for many people”.

Ms Sturgeon’s Snp-green government is currently putting legislation through Holyrood to reform gender recognition laws.

The changes would make it quicker and easier for trans people to obtain a certificate confirming their acquired gender under the law.

The debate over trans rights has led to splits in the SNP and other parties, as well as leaving politicians apparently flummoxed by what appear relatively simple questions.

Some supporters of trans rights argue that men who change gender to become trans women are women just as much as if they had been born biologically female.

Their critics say a woman is an “adult human female”, and that people born biologically male, while they can change gender in the eyes of the law, cannot change sex.

Last year, the UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was wrong to say only women have a cervix, adding: “It is something that shouldn’t be said, it is not right.”

In an interview with The Times newspaper, Mr Sturgeon refused to define the word “woman”.

She said: “I’m not going to, I’m just not going to get into this debate at a level that’s about simplified and lurid headlines.

“Trans people are amongst, possibly the most, stigmatised and discriminated against minorities in our society. And every time we oversimplify this debate, trans people suffer. It’s important that we actually take the issues around protecting and enhancing the rights of trans people seriously.”

Mr Ross said a woman was “an adult female” human being and he was “surprised” that a politician of Ms Sturgeon’s experience had not been prepared for the question.

He told The Herald: “It’s a question that is actually quite simple when you boil it down. Biologically, we have male and female and women are adult females.

“This is a very emotive issue, it’s one that clearly divides a lot of opinion, and sadly the debate around it is very toxic.

“But as a politician and as a leader, you have to give a clear response, and Nicola Sturgeon not being able to do so will be troubling for many people.”

Policy analysts Murray-blackburn Mackenzie said: “With draft legislation now under consideration in Parliament, it is staggering that the FM should persist in her refusal to recognise the conflict of rights inherent in her acceptance that a woman is anyone who declares themselves so.”

Tory peer Ruth Davidson called for a more nuanced debate around transgender rights.

Feminist group For Women Scotland said: “Nicola Sturgeon’s refusal to define women is depressing, but not unexpected.”