Yes, yes, I know, I'm a man. I was born a man, I have always been a man (well, except when I was a boy, back around the middle of the last Ice Age), and always will be a man. But I think I have some grounds to write about women. I was raised by a woman (and a man), after all, I'm married to a woman, I am father to four women and grandfather to two women and a girl (a woman in the making). So I think I know a little about the topic. Having XY chromosomes doesn't mean I don't have some thoughts on this topic, after all.
Also, unlike a certain Supreme Court Justice I could name, I am a biologist, and I do know what a woman is: An adult female of the species Homo sapiens. Mind you, this has been known by all sane people since time immemorial, although in more recent years we can add the possession of two X chromosomes to that definition.
So, when British author J.K. Rowling, for whom I admit a sneaking admiration, calls out "Glamour" magazine for denoting a bunch of dudes as "Women of the Year," well, I share her frustration.
I grew up in an era when mainstream women’s magazines told girls they needed to be thinner and prettier.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 30, 2025
Now mainstream women’s magazines tell girls that men are better women than they are. pic.twitter.com/ybEFr8XdSv
A United Kingdom-based website called "Attitude" (Oh, the irony!) has more details.
Nine of the UK’s most influential trans voices are to be honoured as part of this year’s GLAMOUR Women of the Year Awards in a tribute to the viral Protect the Dolls T-shirt amid rising political discourse in the UK.
Munroe Bergdorf, Maxine Heron, Taira, Munya, Bel Priestly, Dani St James, Ceval Omar, Mya Mehmi, and Shon Faye all stood proudly together for the front cover of the women’s lifestyle magazine.
Here's the really stupid justification for this:
Chosen by the publication amid a rise in anti-trans legislation, pressure groups, and right-wing politicians – from the CASS review to the April Supreme Court ruling to debates over single-sex spaces – it is more important than ever to highlight the affected voices.
The CASS review and the April (UK) Supreme Court rulings were both based on facts, not fantasy; the fantasy here is that a guy can just decide he's a woman, and that we must celebrate him for it. Yes, him. Not she, xer, or xi, or umptywalooza. The English language is complicated enough without making up stupid new pronouns for people who are either mentally ill or attention-seeking. Oh, and if you need another photo of these men - remember, I'm a biologist, and I know what men are, too - you can see it at the link above. I don't recommend it.
My friend and colleague Brandon Morse has already documented another egregious piece of "Glamour" stupidity, so this should come as no surprise.
So here's my question: Why?
There are plenty of strong, capable women out there who deserve to be recognized. Millions, in fact, right here in the United States, and millions more in the United Kingdom. Why marginalize them in favor of... nine dudes? Why is Glamour trying to cancel women?
Look, I was raised by a strong woman. Mom grew up on a small farm during the Depression and was a farm wife herself for many years. She described to me many times things like following the hay-baler, throwing hay bales into a wagon with a baby strapped to her chest, and two toddlers following along behind. Mom was tenacious, strong, and capable. Her mother, my grandma, was possibly even tougher, having brought up six kids during the Depression - a fact she would remind you of at every opportunity. My wife is a tough, smart cookie as well: A Bronze Star recipient, former Army officer, Mom to four girls, now half of a rural household in Alaska.
I'm a big fan of strong women. I was raised by one, and I'm married to one. I have little patience for weak people, and that extends to the women in my life.
I also have little patience for stupid people, which brings us back to Glamour. Why does Glamour seem to be going out of its way to alienate women like these? Why are so many media and entertainment outlets doing this? Is it deliberate? Or is it just stupidity?
Read More: Disney's Princess Boutique That Featured Transgender Employees Gets Makeover After Backlash
It's a head-scratcher. Whether this kind of thing is deliberate stupidity or accidental stupidity, it's aggravating a growing cultural divide in America and in Europe.
J.K. Rowling, while I may disagree with her on a wide variety of other issues, is spot-on on this and on other aspects of this whole mess, like the idiotic and unfair practice of letting dudes play on women's sports teams, just because they are cosplaying as women. She deserves to be applauded for her determined and constant calling out of this stupidity where she sees it, and boy, howdy, there sure is plenty of it going around.
