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UK Supreme Court Poised to Rule on Legal Definition of 'Woman'

The landmark decision will determine whether transgender women with Gender Recognition Certificates are legally recognized as women under the Equality Act 2010, with implications for sex-based rights across the UK.

FILE - The entrance of the Supreme Court in London, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)
Victoria McCloud
The ruling follows a two-day hearing in November. Feminist groups have demanded judges respect “biological reality”

Overview

  • The UK Supreme Court will announce its ruling on April 16, 2025, addressing whether transgender women with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs) are legally recognized as women under the Equality Act 2010.
  • The case stems from a 2018 Scottish law mandating 50% female representation on public boards, which included transgender women with GRCs in its definition of 'woman.'
  • For Women Scotland (FWS) argues that 'woman' should be defined solely by biological sex, while the Scottish government contends that a GRC legally changes a person's sex for all purposes.
  • Lower courts in Scotland previously upheld the inclusion of transgender women with GRCs in the definition of 'woman,' leading FWS to appeal to the Supreme Court.
  • The ruling is expected to have widespread implications for access to single-sex spaces, employment rights, and the broader legal framework of gender identity and sex-based protections in the UK.