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UK Supreme Court Ruling on 'Woman' Definition Spurs Nationwide Protests

Trans rights groups and allies rally across the UK, as institutions and officials assess the implications of the landmark decision.

Campaigners take part in a rally organised by trans rights groups, trade unions, and community organisations following the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman in equalities law, at Parliament Square, central London, Saturday April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Campaigners take part in a rally organised by trans rights groups, trade unions, and community organisations following the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman in equalities law, at Parliament Square, central London, Saturday April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Members of the public gather in Parliament Square with banners and placards as part of the Trans Liberation emergency Protest on April 19, 2025 in London, England.
Campaigners take part in a rally organised by trans rights groups, trade unions, and community organisations following the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman in equalities law, at Parliament Square, central London, Saturday April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Overview

  • The UK Supreme Court ruled that 'woman' in the Equality Act refers to biological sex, excluding transgender women from the legal definition.
  • Protests erupted nationwide, with an estimated 5,000 demonstrators in London and rallies in cities like Edinburgh demanding trans rights and liberation.
  • The ruling allows transgender women with gender recognition certificates to be excluded from single-sex spaces, including toilets, changing rooms, and sports teams.
  • Police are investigating graffiti on seven statues in Parliament Square during the protests, including defacement of the Millicent Fawcett statue.
  • Government bodies and the Equality and Human Rights Commission are preparing guidance to implement the ruling, with updates expected by summer.