According to an executive from the LGBT rights organization Stonewall, humans are not born male or female.
The claim comes amid a heated public debate regarding men and women’s biological sex vs their chosen gender.
During a discrimination action brought by a lesbian barrister against her chambers and the charity, Stonewall’s Kirrin Medcalf, 24, made the remarks.
‘Bodies are not fundamentally masculine or female,’ Mr Medcalf said at the employment tribunal hearing. They are little more than their bodies.’
Allison Bailey, a friend of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, is suing her chambers, Garden Court, saying that her work and income were harmed because she criticized the views of Stonewall, which was advising it.
Miss Bailey founded the LGB Alliance group, which believes Stonewall is promoting trans rights while trampling on those of lesbian, gay and bisexual people.
She has told the hearing that the charity is a ‘dangerous and vicious organisation’.
Mr Medcalf’s remarks about human beings not being ‘inherently male or female’ were given in evidence on Tuesday in response to a lawyer’s question: ‘You define women as anyone, including men, who say they are women?’
The comments sparked a Twitter storm yesterday amid condemnation from groups opposing the spread of Stonewall’s stance on transgender issues in schools, universities, Government departments, councils and private companies.
Stephanie Davies-Arai, founder of Transgender Trend, a parents’ group worried about the sharp rise in children wanting to change gender, said: ‘We are glad Stonewall’s ideas have finally been publicly exposed in court.
‘We have known for a long time that this is being taught to children in schools.
‘Anti-science ideas of this kind have no place in education.
‘Schools involved with Stonewall, of which there are many, should end their association with the organisation now.’
Mr Medcalf caused another stir at Miss Bailey’s tribunal earlier this week.
It was paused to put in place his request for his mother, a ‘support person’ and a dog to be present while he gave evidence.
The Stonewall executive had failed to tell the court he required the special arrangements, including periodic breaks.
Miss Bailey told the tribunal her chambers had signed up to what is called the Stonewall Diversity Champions scheme, inducing it to follow the charity’s objectives.
‘The focus of all of them is to advance a policy position on trans rights and gender identity that go way beyond the law,’ she said.
‘Stonewall is a very powerful organisation and it can confer protection or it can take it away.
‘The inducement offered with its scheme is reputational protection or reputational harm. It is like a criminal protection racket.’
Miss Bailey said she faced a ‘complete lack of sympathy’ and ‘distinct lack of support’ from her chambers regarding security concerns she had in relation to trans activists, the hearing was told yesterday.