The notion of “binary sexuality” is a false construct, according to Dame Helen Mirren, who says that trans women are women because they say so.
The Academy Award-winning English actress said she believes there is no such thing as purely male, purely female people. Rather everyone is a “wonderful mix of male and female” and sexuality is something we personally choose – with the truth lying somewhere in the middle. She said:
I came to the conclusion an awfully long time ago that there is black and there is white, and we’re all somewhere in the middle in a wonderful mix of male and female.
There is no such thing as binary sexuality, when you’re male or female. I don’t believe that at all.
The 74-year-old told the RadioTimes: “I think I was very lucky to be in my world, the world of acting and drama, because I think an awful lot of actors have male and female in them. A lot of great actors, great, masculine actors, are actually very feminine.
“Great heart-throbs have a very present feminine side to them. A lot of very strong female actors, have a very strong male side to them.”
When asked if she thought of herself in this way, Dame Helen responded that she did, adding she hated talking about her own feelings, “I never want to go to the doctor and I’m a brilliant map reader. I have a lot of what people might call male qualities. But I certainly look like a woman.”
Later on, Mirren was quizzed on her views regarding the transgender community, and was asked whether she agreed with the views of Australian feminist Germaine Greer on transgender people. Greer previously said in a BBC Newsnight interview that transgender women are “not women” just because they say they are. She said:
Just because you lop off your dick and then wear a dress doesn’t make you a f**cking woman. I’ve asked my doctor to give me long ears and liver spots and I’m going to wear a brown coat but that won’t turn me into a f**cking cocker spaniel.
I do understand that some people are born intersex and they deserve support in coming to terms with their gender but it’s not the same thing. A man who gets his dick chopped off is actually inflicting an extraordinary act of violence on himself.
Mirren responded: “Do you mean Germaine Greer saying women are women and men are men? Well, she didn’t quite say that but if being a TERF [trans-exclusionary radical feminist] is not accepting that trans women are women then I’m not a TERF,’ she added.
The term TERF is used to describe those who believe that “identifying” as a woman is not the same as being born a woman. It is often used to describe those who have “transphobic” views. Instead, she said that she accepts that trans women are women.
This is not the first time Mirren has entered the hotly contested world of male/female sexuality and roles.
As Breitbart News reported, in 2015 she suggested that men who put their arms around their girlfriends are being sexist.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Mail’s You Magazine, she spoke about public displays of affection she finds offensive.
“It annoys me when I see men with an arm slung around their girlfriend’s shoulders. It’s like ownership,” said Mirren. “Of course, when you’re young, you want the guy to take your hand and look after you.”
“But when I see girls being leaned on, I want to say, ‘Tell him to get his damned arm off your shoulder,’” she added.
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