International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate women's and girls' achievements, rights, and potential. Yet when I asked the First Minister in the Welsh Parliament last week to define what a woman is, I was met with accusations of trying to ‘start a culture war.’
Since when did stating facts and defending women’s rights become controversial? A woman is an adult human female. That is a biological fact, not an ideological opinion.
Four months ago, my Senedd colleague Laura Anne Jones MS asked the Government the same question in the form of an official Written Question. Ministers should reply within ten days, yet they still refuse to answer four months later. If a government claiming to champion women’s rights cannot define what a woman is, how can it protect them?
This refusal has real-world consequences. It affects fairness in sport, the safety of women and girls, and the protection of single-sex spaces. If the Welsh Government truly supports women, it must stop dodging this question and provide clarity.
I asked Labour's First Minister to define a woman - her response has real consequences, writes Darren Millar
Senedd TV
We all want to encourage women and girls to participate in sport—it promotes confidence, discipline, and healthy living. But allowing biological males, who have clear physical advantages, to compete against female athletes undermines fairness and in contact sports, it can be downright dangerous.
Males generally have greater muscle mass, higher testosterone levels, and superior bone density—advantages that remain even after hormone therapy. This is not about excluding trans athletes; it is about ensuring fair competition.
If the Welsh Government is serious about women’s sport, it should stop funding sporting bodies that fail to protect fair competition for female athletes. Women’s sports must be for women—without caveats, without exceptions.
Beyond sport, the issue of women’s safety is even more pressing. Women and girls deserve safe spaces in places such as leisure centre changing rooms, hospital wards, prisons, and public toilets.
For decades, women have fought for these rights—not as a privilege, but as a necessity. Dignity, privacy, and security should not be sacrificed for political expediency. Yet by refusing to define what a woman is, the Welsh Government is paving the way for policies that put women at risk.
To be pro-women’s rights is not about being anti-trans. I oppose all forms of discrimination, including those that affect the trans community. But fairness, safety, and common sense must prevail. Women should not feel unsafe or uncomfortable due to political decisions that ignore biological reality.
Unlike Labour, which appears paralysed by fear of upsetting a vocal minority, the Conservative Party has always stood firmly for women’s rights and I am proud of the party’s record—four female leaders and three female Prime Ministers—more than any other major UK party. We have introduced policies that empower women, from workplace equality to tackling violence against women and girls.
Women’s rights should not be sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. Yet Labour in Wales is unwilling—and seemingly unable—to define what a woman is, let alone stand up for them.
The First Minister may dismiss these concerns as a ‘culture war’, but this is not about rhetoric—it is about real people, real issues, and real consequences. Women deserve fairness in sport, safety in their spaces, and legal recognition.
If the Welsh Government cannot even define what a woman is, how can they be trusted to protect women’s rights? Labour must stop dodging the issue and start listening to the women they claim to represent.
They may not be prepared to stand up for women, but we will.
The Welsh Conservatives will continue to fight for women’s rights as part of our plan to fix Wales, defeat Labour, and win the Senedd elections next year.
