One year ago on this day, the UK Supreme Court decided that the terms “woman” and “man” in the Equality Act should be based solely on “biological sex,” following an appeal by the ‘gender critical’ group For Women Scotland against the Scottish Government’s use of the term ‘woman.’
The judgment, delivered jointly by Lord Hodge, Lady Rose, and Lady Simler, supported unanimously by other Justices, clarified that the term ‘woman’ in the Equality Act 2010 refers specifically to biological sex.
Since then, concerns have been raised by trans activists and charities about the potential negative impacts of the ruling on the trans community. A recent report, the 2025 Trans Segregation in Practice, highlights testimonies from individuals, both cis and trans, who have felt excluded and displaced from the society they once felt secure in, just within a short span of four months.
The report revealed that approximately 53% of trans respondents and 17% of cis respondents reported instances of being stopped, questioned, or harassed while accessing gendered spaces throughout their adult lives in the UK.
Reflecting on the ruling’s anniversary, Helen Belcher, the director at TransActual, emphasized the disruptive effect it has had on the trans community, leading to a lack of clarity on basic activities like using public facilities, resulting in trans and gender non-conforming individuals feeling unsafe in British society.
Not In Our Name (NION) was established in response to the ruling, rejecting the narrative that framed it as a victory for cis women. The group stands against the scapegoating of trans individuals and the false dichotomy between trans rights and women’s rights, advocating for acceptance and inclusion of all gender identities.
The NION open letter, denouncing discrimination against trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse people, has garnered nearly 100,000 signatures and received support from various influential allies including Carla Denyer MP, Kate Nash, Beverley Knight, Denise Welch, Kate Osborne MP, David Tennant, and Zack Polanski.
Women who support the trans+ community are encouraged to add their signature to the Not In Our Name letter to show solidarity and reject discrimination.