UK Supreme Court Rules Statutory Definition of Woman Excludes Trans Women

In a unanimous ruling, the UK Supreme Court held that the Equality Act 2010 definition of woman refers to biological sex, meaning transgender women with a Gender Recognition Certificate are not protected as women under that legislation in certain single-sex service contexts.

The ruling immediately affects how single-sex spaces such as shelters, hospital wards, and sports organizations may lawfully exclude transgender women. The Scottish and UK governments said they would review guidance, while rights groups called the decision devastating.