The Labour Party will now allow men who say they are women to apply for female-only posts within its youth wing.
Young Labour will now permit members up to age 27 to apply for regional and national positions designated for women if they are ‘self-identifying women’.
The policy shift follows Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities Dawn Butler MP suggesting that men who ‘identify’ as women could be eligible for the full Party’s all-women shortlist policy.
Self-define
In the National Youth Elections briefing, candidates were informed: “In the interests of maintaining a gender balance, approximately half of these positions are reserved for self-defining women”.
The guidance explains: “Where eligibility is restricted to self-defining women, this means that anyone who self-defines as a woman is eligible to stand for these positions.
“Young members who do not self-define as a woman will not be eligible. You must indicate whether you self-define as a woman when you complete the online nomination form”.
“demeaning to the vast majority of women”
‘Madness’
The move was not welcomed by all in the Party, with one anonymous Labour MP saying: “It is madness. Apart from anything else, it is demeaning to the vast majority of women.”
Adding: “The Labour Party seems to have abolished the term ‘woman’ and replaced it with ‘self-defining women’.”
The Labour Party has caused repeated controversy in recent months over its stance on transsexualism.
‘Uncomfortable’
Last month, a feminist who was critical of the Government’s plans to make it easier to ‘change sex’, was forced to leave the Labour Women’s Network Christmas party.
Venice Allan’s presence made a transsexual activist feel ‘uncomfortable’.
And in July, leader Jeremy Corbyn said transsexuals should be able to “self-identify” their gender, in a statement described as “disappointing” by The Christian Institute.