On 16th April 2025 the UK Supreme Court handed down a judgment in the case of For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers which determined the correct interpretation of the protected characteristic of sex in the Equality Act 2010. The ruling clarified that the meaning of the terms “sex”, “man” and “woman” relates to biological sex, and not to gender identity or having a gender-recognition certificate (GRC). The judgement states that single-sex services and spaces are reserved for biological women / men. The ruling does not remove the rights from trans identified people but provides clarification on how legal definitions of sex apply across the UK.
HSV welcome the clarity provided by the Supreme Court judgement and are fully committed to promoting equality, inclusivity, and fairness for all individuals, in line with the Equality Act 2010. The judgement makes the law much easier to understand and apply in order to protect everyone’s rights. We recognise the fundamental importance of protecting women and men against sex discrimination and following the law in relation to spaces and services. We are committed to upholding the protections against discrimination and harassment of transgender people on the basis of gender reassignment in the Equality Act, which do not involve treating people as having changed sex. In response we are prioritising the review of policies and practices to ensure they are compliant within the law.