Is gender a social construct? In a speech last week, Britain’s leader said that people “can’t.. be any sex they want to be”. Activists say his words are dangerous. Now it has sparked a conversation on the difference between sex and gender identity.
Backlash grows over ‘Man is a man’ speech
Glossary
Conservative party - A British political party. Members are known as Tories.
Transgender - Someone whose gender identity (what they feel inside) does not match the gender identity they were assigned at birth (based on their biology).
Activists - People who campaign for social or political change. Greta Thunberg sailed to New York for a meeting instead of flying.
Hate crimes - A crime that is motivated by who the victim is, for example prejudice towards their race, sexuality, religion or other characteristics.
Testosterone - The hormone that causes people to develop male sexual characteristics. Women also produce some testosterone.
Oestrogen - Female sex hormones. After the menopause, these can increase the risk of cancer.
Gender dysphoria - Feelings of discomfort or stress a person feels due to a mismatch between their gender identity and their sex assigned at birth.
Experts - Someone who knows a lot about a particular subject.