Support for “What is a Woman” Bill by Left-leaning Party voters has shifted markedly in the past year
More people of all political persuasions are understanding the importance of having legal definitions for women and men.
By: Jill Ovens - Women’s Rights Party co-leader, and national secretary.
On the day of the first reading in Parliament of NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft’s Private Member’s Bill to define sex in law in biological terms, on Wednesday 20 May, a new Curia poll has shown more New Zealand voters agree than disagree across all political parties.
Support from Left-leaning Party voters has shifted markedly from a poll conducted by Curia for Family First a year ago, between 30 April and 4 May 2025, and a poll conducted for Speak Up for Women - SUFW - between 14 and 19 May 2026, also by Curia.
This time last year, Labour, Greens and Te Pati Māori voters were more likely to oppose than to support defining women and men in biological terms.
In the latest poll these same voters were more likely to support than oppose these definitions:
The biggest shift has been amongst Te Pati Māori voters – a majority now support defining women and men in sex-realist terms.
National and ACT are supporting the Bill through its First Reading with a National spokesperson saying the National Caucus wants to hear from the public through the Select Committee process.
The government Coalition parties needn’t worry about offending their voters. Support for the Bill remains strong:
The SUFW question asked: “A Member of Parliament has proposed a law defining a woman as an adult human female and a man as an adult human male on the grounds of fairness and safety in single-sex spaces. Do you support or oppose this proposed law?”
The question in the Family First poll was similar: “A Member of Parliament has proposed a law that would define a woman as an adult human biological female and a man as an adult human biological male regardless of gender identity. Would you support or oppose this proposed law?”
The reference to “gender identity” in the Family First poll is in the proposed legislation being debated tonight.
The latest poll of 1,000 respondents who agreed to participate, found 51% in favour and 19% opposed. Men overwhelmingly supported such a law - 58% compared with 16% opposed, a net +42% in favour. Women were less likely than men to support enshrining the definitions in law, though more women were supportive than opposing the Bill - 44% with 22% opposed, a net +22% in favour.
Support was strongest among those aged 55 to 64 at 55%, with just 13% opposed, a net of 42%, and strongest in provincial cities at 55%.
The Family First poll last year showed similar results with 52% in favour and 29% opposed. Support by women at the time was 39% and is now 44%.
To most New Zealanders, it is self-evident - a woman is an adult human female, and a man is an adult human male.
You can watch Jenny Marcroft introduce her bill live at 7pm tonight, Wednesday 20 May, at: Parliament Video
This increase in support from left leaning parties is very heartening.
I'm curious about the 14% of NZ First voters who believe that "transwomen are women." Actually, thinking about it, I suspect that they're boomers who think Winnie is great but have a "transgender" grandkid they very much don't want to alienate. My 82 year old mum has a couple of friends like that. They parrot the trans party line, looking lost and confused and helpless while they do so. It's awful. You feel really sorry for them and hope desperately that their grandkid doesn't do themselves any irreversible harm.