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4w ago

UK Cultural Leaders Reject Enforcement of Supreme Court Ruling on Single-Sex Spaces

The Equality and Human Rights Commission defends legal clarity on 'woman' and 'sex,' as cultural institutions resist implementing facility restrictions.

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Baroness Falkner, who leads the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said its new guidance would not be “universally popular” but it would be “firmly grounded in the law”

Overview

  • The UK Supreme Court ruled in April 2025 that 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer exclusively to biological definitions, impacting transgender access to single-sex spaces.
  • The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued interim guidance enforcing the ruling, stating trans individuals should not use facilities that do not align with their biological sex but must have access to some facilities.
  • Baroness Kishwer Falkner, EHRC chair, defended the judiciary's integrity and urged compliance with the clarified law, emphasizing the guidance is grounded in legal accuracy.
  • Leaders from cultural institutions, including the Welsh National Opera and the Vagina Museum, publicly declared they are unwilling to police restroom access based on the ruling, citing operational and ethical concerns.
  • The EHRC announced plans to consult stakeholders later this month to revise its statutory code of practice, addressing practical implications of the Supreme Court decision.