‘We must stand firm as society attacks the reality of biological sex’

Over 80 public figures and organisations have signed a declaration calling for women, children and free speech to be protected amid “a demonstrable attack on biological reality”.

The ‘Declaration for Biological Reality’ has been co-signed by individuals across a wide range of backgrounds, including former Olympian Sharron Davies MBE, television presenter Neil Oliver and detransitioner Sinéad Watson.

The Declaration is also open to the public and has already been signed by over 18,000 people.

Irreversible and experimental

In an introduction, the signatories explained: “We have very serious and growing concerns about the impact that gender identity ideology is having on our society.

“Over recent years, there has been a demonstrable attack on biological reality in the United Kingdom. This has skewed public policy and discourse in favour of an ideology that has no scientific basis and which poses safeguarding risks to some of the most vulnerable groups.”

The Declaration called for children to be protected from “irreversible, experimental, and highly damaging puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones”, and urged schools to uphold biological sex and stop encouraging gender-confused children to socially transition.

‘Significant risk’

On the ‘erosion of womanhood’, the signatories highlighted the removal of sex-specific language from NHS guidance and the danger of gender self-identification to female-only spaces and sports.

They called for public bodies such as the police and NHS to “remain ideologically neutral”, and that no employee should be forced to use ‘preferred pronouns’ or be sacked for upholding the reality of biological sex.

Writing in The Daily Mail, the Declaration’s co-ordinator James Esses said: “Gender identity ideology is now embedded so deeply that it poses a significant risk to countless children and teenagers.”

He added: “It’s time for everyone who believes this is wrong to say so. That is why we have created the Declaration for Biological Reality – to give members of the public a chance to be heard.”

Cancel culture

In higher education, over 100 academics have formed the London Universities’ Council for Academic Freedom to ensure free speech and free inquiry are preserved in contentious issues such as transgender ideology.

The group, which includes academics such as University College London’s Professor Alice Sullivan, said: “Universities should not adopt institutional positions on contested issues”, while staff and students should not be harassed on the “basis of their beliefs and lawful expression of their views”.

“We encourage open, honest, courageous and reasoned discussion of controversial ideas, in and outside of the classroom, in a spirit of having respect for people even while one does not necessarily respect their beliefs.”