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UK Supreme Court Defines 'Woman' as Biological Sex in Landmark Ruling

The decision clarifies the Equality Act 2010, limiting single-sex spaces to biological women while affirming anti-discrimination protections for transgender individuals.

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Marion Calder and Susan Smith from For Women Scotland, celebrate outside the Supreme Court to challenge gender recognition laws, in London, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. For Women Scotland is challenging the Scottish Government over whether trans women can be regarded as female for the purposes of the 2010 Equality Act. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
FILE - The entrance of the Supreme Court in London, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)

Overview

  • The UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that under the Equality Act 2010, the terms 'woman' and 'sex' refer to biological sex, excluding transgender women with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs) from the legal definition of 'woman.'
  • The ruling impacts access to single-sex spaces such as hospital wards, shelters, and changing rooms, which must now be reserved exclusively for biological women.
  • Transgender individuals remain protected under the Equality Act against discrimination, harassment, and victimization based on gender reassignment.
  • The judgment resolves a legal challenge initiated by For Women Scotland against Scottish government guidance that included transgender women with GRCs in the definition of 'woman.'
  • The decision has sparked polarized reactions, with some celebrating it as a victory for biological women's rights and others warning of its potential to marginalize transgender individuals.