The Victorian government has faced criticism for its decision to include biological males who identify as women in a major study on women’s pain.

Launched in January as part of a $153 million women’s health initiative, the Inquiry into Women’s Pain aimed to address issues like endometriosis and menopause, which affect 40 per cent of Victorian women.

However, it was revealed that the Department of Health sought submissions from “those assigned females at birth” and “anyone who identifies as a woman, though they may have a different sex at birth”.

Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas defended the move, stating it was intended to be “inclusive”. Nonetheless, the decision was criticised as “offensive” and “a capitulation to the militant trans lobby”.

Former Liberal MP Nicolle Flint, who left federal politics partly due to chronic pain from endometriosis, voiced her disapproval.

“It’s extraordinary, it’s offensive, it’s disgraceful, and there is no reason for biological men to be part of this inquiry,” she said. “If you don’t have a uterus, if you’re not a biological woman and you don’t have all of the things that can go horribly wrong – as they did for me, as they do for so many women – then there is no need for you to be part of this."

Flint, who plans to recontest her old seat of Boothby, highlighted the necessity of the inquiry given the struggles many women face with chronic pain. She called the inclusion of biological males in the study “insulting”.

“This is the whole problem, every decision that is made is made to validate the delusions of these men & they justify it by saying it’s on the basis of inclusion. What they don’t mention is the moment a man is included in women’s sport, a woman is excluded. That’s basic numbers.” pic.twitter.com/BXii1GEiME

— Sall Grover (@salltweets) July 23, 2024

Sall Grover, founder of the women’s social media app Giggle, also condemned the decision:

“What is the point of having a study about women's pain if men can just identify into the study now?” she questioned.

Minister Thomas claimed that both sex and gender impact women's health, asserting that she would not be “distracted by kind of divisive side issues”.

A Victorian surgeon speaking anonymously to the Australian media criticised the inclusion as an example of “gender affirming care creating havoc in health care,” noting that prioritising identity over biology is already causing issues in medical practice.