OPINION: If you want ways to make women safer, here is a list
There are many things women need- another definition is not one. Stock Image
It is a common criticism of Sinn Féin by their opponents that they simply run contrary to what the government do or say.
Sometimes that is reductive and simplistic and, sometimes that is a fair comment.
A case in point is Waterford TD and Sinn Fein Health Spokesperson David Cullinane’s response to a recent UK Supreme Court ruling on the definition of women and biological sex.
The comment was not only extremely offensive to the trans women but utterly and completely unhelpful at best, to all women.
If you somehow managed to miss the controversy, Waterford poll-topper Deputy Cullinane (who absolutely could have read the news and scrolled on) posted on X:
“The Scottish Supreme Court ruling on the legal meaning of woman is a common sense judgement. The ruling found that for the purposes of equality legislation, a woman means a biological woman, and sex refers to biological sex.
"It also confirmed that transpeople are protected under the Equality legislation under a separate category of gender reassignment, the ruling needs to be fully examined in this state.”
Deputy Cullinane’s comments were met with anger, hurt and resistance and rightly so.
The tweet was deleted, and somewhat of an apology was posted in its place.
The Pride of the Deise wrote an open letter calling for the deputy to take training in the matter and pointing out that as the party’s health spokesperson, he really should know better.
This weekend, the Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald very skillfully sidestepped the issue on the Late Late Show, with everyone’s rights should be respected.
Fellow Sinn Fein TD Eoin Ó’Broin told The Journal he has been contacted by some “very upset” constituents.
He also said the party was doing a “piece of work” around their policy on trans rights and healthcare.
I’m sure all involved are relieved to hear this, even if the fallout continues.
It would be easy to call this a far-right issue seeping into mainstream politics.
But the fact of the matter is that many either genuinely or cynically call this a women’s safety issue.
Here’s the thing though, women do not need to be redefined-legally or otherwise.
We are grand for definitions, thanks.
What women need is the ability to report sexual assault without counselling notes or past sexual history being used to further attack them.
Women need to be able to able to walk, run or simply exist in public without being harassed.
We need better protection from harassment and abuse online.
They need to have access to affordable childcare so they can work and raise a family if that is what they want to do.
Women need to be paid the same as their male counterparts, and when their employment rights are breached, they need a way of ensuring that is addressed quickly and without penalty to them.
They need to be believed by their doctors and have equal access to healthcare- whatever that looks like for them as individual.
This is not an exhaustive list, and many of these apply to both cis and trans women.
Women do not need more words but actual action.
And, no that does not include a court to decide what constitutes a woman.
I think most of us are clear on that one, and there are so many other things to focus on.
LGBTQ+ communities say there is lots of work to be done for us just to live in an open and accepting society, and they are right.
At a protest the day after the tweet, Amy O'Riordan from Pride of the Déise explained how housing discrimination effects the LGBTQ+ community.
Numerous studies have shown that suicidality, self harm and mental distress in various forms is higher in the trans community.
We also know that some of the best protective factors for mental health is acceptance, belonging and community. So, it is not a stretch to say that anti-trans discourse is a health issue.
There is not a finite amount of womanhood (or manhood for that matter) going around, and if one person gets some another is not without.
So what is it to any of us how another person identifies?
You could just be in awe of the fact that we are trying to build a society where one's place is not decided by body parts, chromosomes or hormones.
Someone like Deputy Cullinane has a lot of power in making that a reality.
There is no TD more popular in the Déise, and he represents a lot of people.
Anyone can make a mistake, just like anyone can post on X.
But, leadership is about listening and finding out what the needs are of those you represent.
Women do not need to know what or who we are. We have that one covered.
But if you want work to do, here is a list.
