This doc asks a question everyone thinks they have the answer to—until the camera starts rolling.
Whether you agree with Matt Walsh or not, the interviews he gets are hard to ignore. Walsh is also known for “Am I Racist?”, which I ranked 92/100.
Trailer for “What is a Woman?”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Multiple doctors and PhD-level academics (some with decades of experience) refuse to define the word “woman” when asked directly. They often said “it depends” or “it’s a spectrum.”
- One interviewee tells Walsh that asking “What is a woman?” is transphobic, and ends the interview entirely over the question.
- Walsh visits a Maasai tribe in Kenya, who give a clear, blunt answer to the question within 10 seconds. Then they ask why Americans struggle with this.
Watch “What is a Woman?”
You can stream “What is a Woman?” with a paid subscription on DailyWire+. I also found a promo to watch 15 minutes of it here.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 86/100 (Users); 75/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: Justin Folk directs this one. He’s done prior work for The Daily Wire and right-wing outlets. His style here is clean and confrontational. He lets the interviews speak for themselves, but often with satirical editing and narration by Walsh.
Release Date: June 1, 2022 (DailyWire+)
My Review of “What is a Woman?”
The Setup
Matt Walsh, a conservative commentator, takes a microphone to therapists, surgeons, pediatricians, activists, and philosophers, all asking the same thing: What is a woman?
The fact that the answers range from “a feeling” to “that’s not a question I’m comfortable answering” is part of what makes the film so divisive. Supporters call it brave. Critics call it a setup. Either way, the reaction says as much as the film itself.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Transgender surgeon Marci Bowers speaks about gender-affirming surgery but dodges Walsh’s more philosophical questions, sticking to medical definitions.
- A gender therapist explains the idea of the “gender unicorn” used in schools. Walsh pushes back on whether young kids should be exposed to complex identity frameworks before puberty.
- Walsh’s montage of media clips and TikTok influencers who describe dozens of gender identities serves as a cultural contrast to his face-to-face interviews.
- Jordan Peterson describes the avoidance of defining basic terms as “semantic games,” calling it a sign of civilizational confusion.
Cameos
- Dr. Miriam Grossman, a child psychiatrist, criticizes the current approach to gender education in schools and ties it to broader mental health risks.
- Jordan Peterson, known for his clashes with gender identity policy in Canada, gives one of the clearest academic definitions of “woman”.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- The Maasai tribe scene wasn’t staged—Walsh traveled with a local fixer and translator to ask the same question overseas. Their reaction borders on comic confusion.
- The term “social contagion” is used to describe spikes in gender dysphoria among teens, something rarely discussed in mainstream outlets but given attention here.
- One hospital declined to participate in the film but issued a public statement after it aired, distancing itself from one of the interviewed doctors.
- Joe Rogan called it “fucking amazing” on his podcast, saying it was wild that so few mainstream reviewers even touched the film.
Wrap Up:
This film isn’t subtle. But it does expose the extent of disagreement over what used to be a basic biological concept. Regardless of where you land, it’s one of the most talked-about docs of the last few years. And one few mainstream outlets dared to review.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc