Catholic Australian Senator Barry O’Sullivan declared himself a woman before parliament last week so he could speak about abortion issues.
He made the declaration after several female lawmakers said he’d never understand women’s choices about their reproductive health.
“I’m going to declare my gender today, as I can, to be a woman, and then you’ll no longer be able to attack me,” O’Sullivan said.
He said he was tired of the “vomit” and “vitriol” he received from far-left colleagues whenever he tried to raise “issues around strong values.”
His comments went viral on social media, prompting pro-choice activists and left-leaning groups around the world to mock his declaration.
Greens Party senators Mehreen Faruqi and Larissa Waters have been critical of O’Sullivan, with Waters telling O’Sullivan to “get his hands and his rosaries off [her] ovaries.”
O’Sullivan says their reaction was prompted because he raised issues about late-term abortions being carried out under the policies of the Australian Greens.
“So I will not stand silent, I will not stand mute while these people try to continue to marginalise policies and ideas that we want to discuss for this nation that I think are largely supported by the majority of the nation.
“There’s no question about that, they are an ever increasingly silent majority because they’re not going to speak. I’ve had it in here, I’ve moved sensible motions in here, reflecting the views of so many people in our society only to have formality denied.”
Source
- Newsweek
- Catholic Herald
- Image: Global News