A recent UK Supreme Court ruling stated that under the Equality Act 2010, the terms "woman" and "sex" refer only to biological women, not transwomen.
This means that even transwomen with gender recognition certificates won’t be treated as biological women under this law.
The ruling was seen as a victory by gender-critical groups like For Women Scotland, partly supported by J.K. Rowling.
Trans rights advocates viewed it as a setback for inclusion and equality.
The ruling follows political shifts in Scotland and backlash against earlier gender law reforms.
The court clarified that while the Gender Recognition Act 2004 protects trans people from discrimination, it doesn’t give access to spaces or protections meant specifically for biological women.
The U.K.’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) chair said this clarity will affect access to spaces like women’s toilets, changing rooms, sports teams, and hospital wards.
The court advised against interpreting the ruling as a win for any group and emphasized the need for unisex spaces for trans people.
This decision could influence policies in areas like sports, where transwomen are already being restricted from women's events.
India’s experience with its Transgender Act shows that legal changes must balance recognition with protection of trans rights to avoid increased marginalisation.
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