The UK Supreme Court has issued a decisive ruling affirming that the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act 2010 refers exclusively to biological sex. This marks a major victory for women’s rights advocates who have long argued that gender identity should not override sex-based protections in law.
The case, brought by For Women Scotland, challenged the Scottish government’s attempt to redefine “woman” to include biological males who identify as female. The Court unanimously rejected this, ruling that legal provisions for women—such as access to single-sex spaces, services, and protections—must be grounded in biological reality.
This ruling safeguards the integrity of spaces and policies designed to protect biological women, including domestic violence shelters, hospital wards, sports, and public boards. It ensures that women’s rights cannot be diluted or overridden by subjective gender identity claims.
Supporters of the decision praised it as a clear stand for common sense, fairness, and the preservation of hard-won protections for women. The ruling sets a legal precedent that strengthens the rights of biological women across the United Kingdom and reestablishes a firm boundary between sex and gender in public life.