Chris Minns Slammed In Parliament Over His ‘Biological Differences’ Comments

NSW Greens spokesperson Dr Amanda Cohn has slammed Premier Chris Minns in state parliament this week, regarding his earlier comments asserting “biological differences” must be “reflected in the law”.

“While the NSW Government has done what we can, particularly as it relates to government documents for transgender members of our community, we also acknowledge that there’s biological differences between people who are born male and people who were born female, and that needs to be reflected in the law,” Minns said at a press conference on May 19. While the Coalition and conservative politicians have been calling for changes to the Sex Discrimination Act, Minns made the point that NSW laws already covered this, and said that it should be upheld.

In response to the comments made by Minns, Cohn addressed the Legislative Council yesterday (May 27) defending the right of trans and gender diverse people, and intersex people to exist.

“This month Premier Chris Minns made comments to the media claiming that “biological differences” in sex must be reflected in the law. Those comments imply that our laws should not reflect the existence of trans, gender diverse and intersex people,” Cohn said in her address. “LGBTQIA+ communities expected better of Labor than that harmful capitulation to right-wing culture wars.”

“Gender is very simply not binary. Research shows that biological sex is not binary either. Biology is as complicated as it is beautiful,” she said.

Cohn also quoted TJ and Ambly of the Trans Justice Sydney, in order to share lived experience of trans folks, and spotlight the very real harm and distress the Premier’s comments made.

“Hearing this transphobia from the Labor Party was like a punch in the gut… As a queer immigrant, I already didn’t feel like I belonged or was safe in my own country. Now I wonder if it’ll soon be the same in Australia too,” Cohn said, quoting TJ of Trans Justice Sydney.

Cohn also spoke to the current obsession of the media and Trans-Exclusionary Radical ‘Feminists’ (also known as TERFs) regarding trans women participating in women’s sport, and explained the flawed SRY gene screening policy implemented by the International Olympic Committee.

“Trans people do not deserve discrimination wrapped up by conservative politicians and re-labelled as feminism,” said Cohn. “Earlier this year, the International Olympic Committee announced a new policy that will determine eligibility for women athletes on the basis of a one-time SRY gene screening. This approach is deeply flawed and will have unintended consequences for all women in sport.”

“Professor Andrew Sinclair, the scientist who discovered the gene being tested, argues that the test being used this way is misguided and that science does not support this overly simplistic assertion.”

Cohn made it clear that it is the role of Parliament to represent all Australians, and that such comments of exclusion contribute to the dangers already experienced by the trans and intersex communities.

“They do not need politicians punching down and inciting hatred in the community to make this any worse. We in Parliament need to take some responsibility here,” Cohn told the Legislative Council.

You can read the full transcript of Cohn’s speech here.

Dr Amanda Cohn: ‘Politicians don’t determine your value as human beings’

In a conversation with Star Observer last week, Cohn expressed her frustrations over Premier Minns’ comments, saying she found it “extremely concerning” seeing these kinds of targeted culture wars from major parties.

“Until recently, imported culture wars and confected outrage over trans issues was limited to fringe far right groups in Australia,” Cohn told Star Observer.

“It’s extremely concerning to see this rhetoric mainstreamed by both the Liberal and now Labor parties.”

Dr. Cohn expressed hope for trans, gender diverse and intersex Australians saying:

“Trans and gender diverse people have always been here,  and always will be. Politicians don’t determine your value as human beings, nor the validity of your experiences.”