Ligestillingsminister Marie Bjerre (V), Denmark’s Minister for Gender Equality from the Liberal Party (Venstre), has expressed concerns about what she describes as an excessive influence of “wokeism” in the gender equality debate. In an opinion piece published in Jyllands-Posten, a major Danish newspaper, Bjerre argues that wokeism could lead to a society where the norms and values of the majority are overridden by those of the minority.

As an example, she cites the case of artist Ibi-Pippi Orup Hedegaard, who has legally changed their gender from male to female and wishes to serve time in a women’s prison. The minister finds this problematic, stating that it could infringe upon the rights of women. Despite her criticism, Bjerre has no plans to change the existing legislation regarding legal gender changes. Instead, her intention is to send a political message about the necessity of a balanced approach to gender equality.

“The fight for gender equality must not become overly woke. We desire a sensible gender equality policy in the government where there are limits,” she stated, emphasizing that biological males should not have access to women’s changing rooms.

According to the Danish Language Council (Dansk Sprognævn), “wokeism” is an ideology that stresses social awareness and attention to the rights of minorities, including gender minorities. The term originated in the United States and has gained traction in the Danish discussion on gender equality.