The UK Supreme Court has ruled that the legal definition of “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 refers strictly to biological sex.
This means transgender women, even those with a Gender Recognition Certificate, are not included in that definition under this specific law.
The case was brought by For Women Scotland, which challenged a Scottish law allowing transgender women to be counted as women on public boards. The Court decided that this conflicted with the Equality Act’s original intent.
The ruling has been praised by some, including J.K. Rowling, as a win for sex-based rights, while LGBTQ+ organisations warn it could limit transgender women’s access to female-only spaces.
Trans people are still protected from discrimination, but institutions in health, sports, and employment will now need to adjust their policies in line with this legal clarification.
