The question of transubstantiation has long divided Christians. Roman Catholics believe that during Holy Communion the wine is literally transformed into the blood of Christ, the bread literally becoming his body. Protestants held that the sacrament was symbolic or metaphorical, and for this were hounded as heretics.

Whenever I write about gender politics I receive angry chants of “trans women are women”. Over and over, like a catechism. So I have thought hard what this means and to what extent I believe it. Because this question, no pun intended, is the modern version of transubstantiation.

Do I believe that if born males feel a deep, heartfelt need to live as women they should be addressed by female pronouns, be accorded respect and dignity, be free