Ben Fordham has slammed the backlash surrounding a controversial opinion expressed by a Liberal Senator.

Tasmanian Liberal Senator Claire Chandler has been referred to the Anti-Discrimination Commission after she wrote: “You don’t have to be a bigot to recognise the differences between the male and female sexes and understand why women’s sports, single-sex change rooms and toilets are important.”

Ms Chandler told Ben Fordham they are “commonsense views shared by the majority”.

She was asked to sign a confidentiality agreement upon her conciliation session with the commissioner.

“I certainly don’t want to be silenced on these issues,” she said.

“We’ve won the battle, but we certainly haven’t won the war.”

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“I don’t think that this is in any way controversial and I’ve got a feeling that you won’t think it either,” Ben Fordham said.

“What a joke! We’re supposed to live in a country that welcomes free speech and encourages a difference of opinion, not one that stomps all over you just because you say that female toilets are meant for females!

“If that’s a controversial opinion in 2020, I’d hate to think what will be banned in 2021.”

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