The United Kingdom’s Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the legal definition of “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 refers solely to biological females, thereby excluding trans women, even those with gender recognition certificates.
This landmark decision arose from a case brought by For Women Scotland, which sought to clarify that “sex” in the law pertains to biological sex rather than gender identity.
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The ruling was prompted by a challenge to guidance from the Scottish government, which claimed that trans women with legal gender recognition should be regarded as women under the Equality Act.
The court’s four judges rejected this interpretation, affirming that the legal protections for “women” are grounded in biological definitions.
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However, the court also highlighted that trans individuals continue to have protections against discrimination under the provisions for gender reassignment.
Outside the court, women’s rights campaigners celebrated the decision, viewing it as a strong affirmation of sex-based rights.
