Wes Streeting thinks its ‘not right’ to say trans women are women

Health secretary Wes Streeting has doubled down on his belief that he no longer thinks trans women are women.

The gay Labour minister, 42, once again reiterated his opinion that trans women aren’t real women after making a similar statement in April 2024 prior to the general election.

During a 2024 interview with The Sun, Streeting said he felt regret over standing by the statement “trans women are women” and “trans men are men” and had reversed his decision following “self-criticism.”

This time the Ilford North MP didn’t hold his transphobic beliefs back following the Supreme Court ruling which found that the definitions of women and sex in the 2010 Equality Act refer to “biological women” and “biological sex.”

Speaking to LBC Radio host Ben Kentish in a sit-down interview, Streeting not only said he wished he had “listened” to anti-trans groups much sooner, but went on to say that people should admit they were ‘not right’ for believing that trans women are women.

“I don’t think [Labour], to be honest, given some of the rough discourse we’ve had on these issues in recent years, I don’t think we lose anything by having a bit of humility to say, ‘actually, I wish we’d listened’.”

Streeting went on to make an underhanded dig at prime minister Keir Starmer, who also said he no longer believed trans women are women, for not being transphobic sooner, saying that Streeting had “addressed” his belief that trans women aren’t women sooner and is therefore better at being anti-trans.

“I don’t mind kind of saying, ‘look, you know, I don’t think that was the right thing to say’,” he added.

Despite his belief that pro-trans allies are “not right” for believing that trans people are valid, the Supreme Court ruling doesn’t suddenly stop trans women being real women, nor does it suddenly change the rights of trans people.

The legal precedent set in Lord Patrick Hodge’s 16 April ruling acts as an argued legal clarification for the 2010 Equality Act’s definitions. It does not amend them or amend the law.

Regardless, Streeting has said he aims to use the ruling to help the NHS update its guidelines on the rights of trans patients in hospital wards, suggesting that the government exclude them to private rooms.

Following the backlash to his statement in April 2024, the MP made a last-ditch attempt to sound vaguely supportive of trans people during a July Commons debate, in which he said he supported trans people’s “desire just to live freely, equally, and with dignity.”

Unless, it seems, trans people want to access gender-affirming healthcare, be treated equally in hospital wards, or live as their authentic selves in public.