'A Woman Is A Woman," Rishi Sunak's Debate On Gender Sparks Stir

During his concluding remarks at the 2023 Conservative Party conference on October 4, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his perspective on the gender discussion, stating, "A male is a male. A female as a female." The statement has ignited an important conversation on various social media platforms.

Rishi Sunak On Transgenderism 🇬🇧

“We shouldn’t be bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be. They can’t.”

“A man is a man, a woman is a woman. That’s just common sense.”
pic.twitter.com/DuhZLoeRDM

— Sameera Khan (@SameeraKhan) October 5, 2023

UK Prime Minister's Speech

In his inaugural address at the Conservative Party conference, Sunak remarked, "We should not be coerced into accepting the idea that individuals can freely choose their gender. A man is unmistakably a man, and a woman is unequivocally a woman; this is simply a matter of common sense."

He further asserted, "We are committed to transforming our nation, and this means that life imprisonment should genuinely mean lifelong incarceration. This stance should not be a subject of controversy, as it aligns with the beliefs of the vast majority of hardworking individuals. Likewise, it should not be contentious for parents to be informed about the content of their children's education regarding relationships. Patients should be fully aware when healthcare facilities are discussing matters related to men or women."

Additionally, he put forth a proposal to incrementally raise the legal age for purchasing cigarettes in England by one year each year, with the ultimate objective of phasing out smoking entirely. Sunak emphasised his desire to prevent teenagers from taking up smoking in the first place through this approach.

Netizens Call Him Out

The UK Prime Minister received severe backlash on social media for his statements. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, "The right to the pursuit of happiness can not be infringed by quid pro quo politicians like Rishi Sunak who have failed to deal with the real issues facing his country but he is busy parading his ignorance of not being able to accept that diversity exists"

The right to the pursuit of happiness can not be infringed by quid pro quo politicians like @RishiSunak who have failed to deal with the real issues facing his country but he is busy parading his ignorance of not being able to accept that diversity exists. https://t.co/exaMsshvxQ

— Haba James🇺🇬 🇺🇸 (@haba_jackson) October 5, 2023

While one user compared him and his government to those of US Conservatives, he wrote, "So, I heard Rishi Sunak has pissed off a large portion of the UK and followed along with US Conservatives by attacking trans folks as well. You would think he would see the division and awful state of the USA and the Republican Party and not follow in their footsteps."

So, I heard Rishi Sunak has pissed off a large portion of the UK and followed along with US Conservatives by attacking trans folks as well.

You would think he would see the division and awful state of the USA and the Republican Party and not follow in their footsteps :/

— Nitesky (@NiteskyMusic) October 5, 2023

Some Support Him

While he mostly was called out for his regressive thoughts, some came out in support of PM Sunak. One user said, "This is Rishi Sunak standing up against a culture of madness. He is standing true to his cultural and traditional values/beliefs." The same user compared the steps Former US President Obama took and called him out for supporting the third gender. He shared, "Obama legalized the worst act known to mankind and since then, the world has been on a downward spiral."

This is Rishi Sunak standing up and against a culture of madness. He is standing true to his cultural and traditional values/beliefs.

Obama had this opportunity and he blew it. He legalized the worst act known to mankind and since then, the world has been on a downward spiral.

— Olaitan Matti (@OlaitanMatti) October 5, 2023

Akshata Murty 'gate-crashes' annual conference

Britain's Indian First Lady, Akshata Murty, also made a surprise debut on the political stage on Wednesday when she stepped out to introduce "best friend" Rishi Sunak for his maiden speech as UK Prime Minister to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. 

Murty, during her light-hearted speech, claimed her husband was unaware of her "gate-crashing" as the warm-up act to the centrepiece of the annual conference.

The 43-year-old daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy went on to share her pride in Mr Sunak's many achievements and how it was his "honesty and integrity" that had first attracted her to him when they met as students at Stanford University in their 20s.

Suggested Reading: Vivek Ramaswamy Says Transgenderism Is 'Mental Health Disorder'