Church of England Has No Official Definition of a Woman

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, waits to hear the results of a vote on the ordination of women bishops during the General Synod at Church House in London, England, on Nov. 20, 2013. The Church of England's governing body has voted for a proposal which may allow the ordination of woman as bishops in 2014. Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

The Church Of England (COE) has stated that there is “no official definition” of a woman, with a senior Bishop saying the term was previously self-evident, but now additional care is needed.

In July, The General Synod (pdf), the Church’s legislative body of the COE, was taking questions amid an ongoing debate regarding transgender issues, and sex-specific designations.