‘Extremely Concerning’: Chris Minns Slammed Over Trump-Like ‘Biological Differences’ Comments

In the wake of last week’s Tickle v Giggle for Girls appeal result, NSW Premier Chris Minns has become the latest Australian politician to suggest anti-transgender rhetoric should be reflected in legislation.

Speaking at a press conference today (May 19), Minns said NSW “must recognise the biological differences between people who were born male and people who were born female”.

“That needs to be reflected in the law,” he said.

Minns also mentioned female prisons and sport, saying that someone who was “born biologically male” would not be able to transfer from a male prison to a female prison simply because they had changed their government documents.

“If you’re born biologically male and you change your government certificates to be female, it will not mean that you can change from a male prison to a female prison,” he said.

These comments come not even a year after trans and gender-diverse people in NSW became able to update the sex marker on their birth certificates without requiring surgery – legislation passed by the Minns government.

Minns’ remarks also arrive amid a rapidly escalating wave of anti-trans rhetoric from conservative politicians and lobby groups following the recent result of the Giggle v Tickle case.

After anti-trans activist Sall Grover appealed the Federal Court’s 2024 decision, last week the court upheld their decision: that Grover’s app Giggle for Girls discriminated against Tickle, contravening the Sex Discrimination Act. However, the court amended the initial ruling of indirect discrimination to direct discrimination, and changed the amount that Grover had to pay, from $10,000 in damages to $20,000.

Since the ruling, a number of Liberal Party figures, and other conservative politicians have called for Trump-style “there are only two genders” policies and legislation, claiming it is in the name of women’s rights (despite rarely, or never, speaking out in favour of women’s rights before).

For many LGBTQIA+ folks, particularly those from trans and gender diverse community, the Giggle v Tickle victory last week briefly offered a moment of justice and hope. Sadly, the wave of politicians calling for the destruction of the Sex Discrimination Act quickly deflated brief spell of hope for many in the community.

Minns slammed over ‘harmful capitulation to right-wing culture wars’

Responding to Minns’ comments, Greens spokesperson for LGBTQIA+ communities, Dr Amanda Cohn said it was “extremely concerning” to see anti-trans rhetoric increasingly adopted by major political parties.

In a statement shared to Instagram, Cohn said Minns’ comments effectively suggested that “our laws shouldn’t reflect the existence of trans and gender diverse people”.

“LGBTQIA+ communities expected better of [NSW Labor] than this harmful capitulation to right-wing culture wars,” she wrote.

“Trans people aren’t a threat — but politicians throwing them under a bus are.”

 

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A post shared by Dr Amanda Cohn (@amandacohn.greens)

Speaking to Star Observer, Cohn said that seeing this rhetoric be platformed in Australia is concerning.

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

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

Cohn rejected the repeated claim from conservative politicians that their goal is just to protect women’s rights.

“Women’s safety is a real issue, but trans women are not the problem,” she said.

“In fact, trans and gender diverse people are frequently victims of discrimination, intimidation, harassment or even violence.

“Politicians claiming to care about women’s sport should fund it, and politicians claiming to care about women’s safety should fund family and domestic violence services instead of vilifying trans people.”

Cohn also urged the broader LGBTQIA+ community and allies to visibly support trans and gender diverse people amid the increasingly hostile public debate.

“Trans and gender diverse people need visible and active support from the LGBTQIA+ community and our allies. We are stronger together,” she urged.

“Let’s call out harmful transphobic rhetoric, and platform trans voices and experiences, including joy and success, so that trans people are less easily ‘othered’ by politicians seeking to sow division.”

We asked Cohn if she would like to share a message directly to the trans and gender-diverse community – and her answer was a swift ‘Yes’. She said:

“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.

“The Greens will continue to fight alongside you to be safe, to live authentically, and to participate fully in community life. Every MP, every vote, every time.”