Dame Edna: Caitlyn Jenner and Trans Women Are 'Mutilated' Men

This story has been updated, below, to reflect a new statement from the character, Dame Edna.

Barry Humphries, better known as his drag persona Dame Edna, hurled insults toward transgender women in a recent interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph. While defending his friend Germaine Greer against accusations of transphobia, the Australian performer also took the opportunity to take a swipe at Caitlyn Jenner.

Greer, a noted feminist, took heat last month after she accused Jenner of "stealing the limelight" from her famous family. Greer also refused to back down from her position that transgender women aren't actually women, saying they don't "look like, sound like or behave like women."

After trans activists protested a scheduled speech by Greer at Cardiff University and demanded the school rescind the invitation, Greer canceled the appearance and released a scathing statement announcing her decision.

"Just because you lop off your dick and then wear a dress doesn't make you a fucking woman," she wrote. "I've asked my doctor to give me long ears and liver spots and I'm going to wear a brown coat but that won't turn me into a fucking cocker spaniel... A man who gets his dick chopped off is actually inflicting an extraordinary act of violence on himself."

Asked about Greer's comments, Humphries emphatically agreed, telling the tabloid, "I agree with Germaine! You're a mutilated man, that's all. Self-mutilation, what's all this carry on? Caitlyn Jenner -- what a publicity-seeking ratbag. It's all given the stamp -- not of respectability, but authenticity or something. If you criticise anything you're racist or sexist or homophobic."

The 81-year-old straight performer told the paper that he is not a conservative, but is disgusted with the recent uptick in political correctness led by college students and feminists.

"I don't know anything about politics. But the far left is so conservative, paradoxically, inflexible, doctrinaire and humorless," he said. "You can't describe the world as it is any more. You get jumped on. I'm happy to say I do. I give offence therefore I am. Not too much offense, though."

UPDATE: Dame Edna has issued a response on Twitter, disassociating herself from the remarks by Humphries:

Previously, Humphries has famously disassociated himself from Dame Edna's often outlandish remarks and outbursts. It should be noted to anyone confused by this that Dame Edna is a character created by Humphries and not a separate individual.