Anyone can be a woman, according to Australia’s top science body.
The Australian Academy of Science, whose president John Shine is seizing on COVID-19 to campaign for accurate science against “made-up stuff”, has quietly adopted a definition of a woman as “anyone who identifies as a woman”.
Evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman, a professor at the University of Sydney, said she doubted her female colleagues would be aware of this redefinition.
“I find it very surprising that it comes from the academy of science, which should be based on science and not on some social, political agenda — so, I’m shocked, actually,” she told The Australian.
“If you’re going to change the definition of a woman to something that’s no longer based on a biological fact, then what are you doing?”
From May 1, Victorians have been able to change their official birth sex once a year by paying $110.50 and filling in an online declaration.