Biologist Richard Dawkins defends J.K. Rowling, reiterates that 'there are two sexes'

Prominent British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has reaffirmed his stance on biological sexes, stating that there are only two, and has accused those who attacked author J.K. Rowling for expressing a similar view as "bullies."

Dawkins appeared on Piers Morgan's show "Uncensored," where the discussion focused on the efforts by some LGBTQ activists to remove sex and gender distinctions from language.

Morgan raised concerns about the activists' desire to "de-gender" and neutralize language, arguing that it is based on a false premise that denies the existence of biology. He noted that despite the activists' disregard for biological realities, they seemed to be making some headway, at least temporarily.

Citing the experiences of J.K. Rowling and Kathleen Stock, Dawkins concurred with Morgan's assessment of the bullying tactics used by some activists. He expressed his dismay at how a small group of individuals has managed to dominate the discourse with what he called "errant nonsense."

When asked for a solution to the issue, Dawkins replied simply with "science." He went on to clarify that as a biologist, he recognizes only two sexes and is not interested in discussing gender. Dawkins' focus on biological facts over gender debates has been a consistent theme in his past statements on the subject.

“Science,” was Dawkins’ matter-of-fact reply. “There are two sexes. You can talk about gender if you wish, and that’s … I’m not interested in that. As a biologist, there are two sexes and that’s all there is to it.”

Morgan also highlighted an incident in which Dawkins lost a humanist award in 2021 for his comments on similar matters. Dawkins had shared a controversial tweet in April 2021, comparing the vilification of Rachel Dolezal, a white woman who identified as Black, with the acceptance of transgender individuals. The tweet sparked heated debates around the intersection of race and gender identity.

In response to attempts by activists to change language use, Dawkins has previously promised to defy their new rules and stated that the only reasonable reaction to such efforts is "ridicule." He has been resolute in his use of language as a professional and native English speaker, vowing to continue employing the "prohibited words" despite any pressure to conform.

Ian Miles Cheong

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Ian Miles Cheong is a freelance writer, graphic designer, journalist and videographer. He’s kind of a big deal on Twitter.

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