Spanish government official reportedly claims 'children ... can love or have sexual relations with whomever they want'

 A member of the Spanish government recently caught the attention of the international community after she made controversial statements regarding children and sexual consent.

Irene Montero, the 34-year-old minister of equality in Spain, recently said in Spanish at a recent legislative meeting: "All girls, boys, childrenx in this country have the right to know their own body, to know that no adult can touch their body if they don't want to and that is a form of violence, they have the right to know that they can love or have sexual relations with whoever they want, based on consent."

A video of her comments went viral on social media late last week.

\u201cSpain\u2019s Ministry of diversity and gender ideology\u2019s pimp: \u201cChildren have the right to have sex with whoever they want. It\u2019s their right\u201d. \nhttps://t.co/8dSBtS9dfU\u201d

— Campari (sheeeeeeeee/it) (@Campari (sheeeeeeeee/it)) 1663841377 

It is unclear when she actually made the statement.

The age of sexual consent in Spain is 16, and Montero later clarified that, with her statements, she was merely advocating for the right of children to receive comprehensive sex education "which allows them to have lives free of violence and that allows them in the future to freely live their sexuality." 

However, her critics, whom she called members of "the extreme right," have argued that her comments have endangered children, and many have now called for her resignation as a result. 

\u201cIrene Montero debe dimitir inmediatamente tras las barbaridades que verti\u00f3 ayer, en nombre del Gobierno de Espa\u00f1a, sobre relaciones sexuales entre ni\u00f1os y adultos.\n\nEs una temeridad que en manos de esta gente est\u00e9 la protecci\u00f3n de los hijos de los espa\u00f1oles. #IreneMonteroDimisi\u00f3n\u201d

— Edmundo Bal (@Edmundo Bal) 1663847705

Translation: "Irene Montero must resign immediately after the barbarities that she spilled yesterday, on behalf of the Government of Spain, about sexual relations between children and adults. It is reckless that the protection of the children of the Spaniards is in the hands of these people."

\u201cEs urgente que esta se\u00f1ora dimita o sea cesada. Y que cierre ese ministerio totalitario al salir. \u00a1Quitad vuestras sucias manos de los ni\u00f1os!\u201d

— Santiago Abascal \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 (@Santiago Abascal \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8) 1663826256

Translation: "It is urgent that this lady resign or be dismissed. And shut down that totalitarian ministry when you leave. Get your dirty hands off the children!"

In addition to her ambivalent comments about sexual consent, Montero's statement also indicates that she ascribes to the gender identity ideology propagated by many on the left. In the original Spanish, Montero refers to "las niñas, los niños, les niñes." While "las niñas, los niños" is easily translated into English as "girls" and "boys," "les niñes" is a recently developed word that attempts to denote children without gender or children whose gender is unknown. Some English translators have likened it to "Latinx" or "childrenx."

Montero has held the position of minister of equality of Spain since January 2020. As a teenager, she reportedly joined the Communist Youth Union of Spain. It is unclear when or whether she left that organization. She is currently a member of the Podemos political party. In English, podemos translates to "we can."