U.K. Supreme Court rules “woman” refers to biological sex, overturns Scottish trans inclusion policy

04/21/2025 / By Laura Harris

The U.K. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer only to biological sex, excluding transgender women with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs) from being legally classified as women in certain contexts.
The decision struck down a 2018 Scottish law (Gender Representation on Public Boards Act) that included transgender women in the definition of “women” for gender balance policies, deeming it incompatible with the U.K.-wide Equality Act.
For Women Scotland, which advocates for biological sex-based definitions, succeeded in its challenge, ensuring a uniform interpretation of “woman” across the United Kingdom.
While trans women are excluded from being legally recognized as women in specific provisions, they retain broader protections under the Equality Act, including safeguards against gender reassignment discrimination.
Women’s rights advocates, including figures like J.K. Rowling and Samantha Smith, hailed the ruling as a victory for biological women, while critics argue it undermines transgender inclusion efforts.

The United Kingdom Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act of 2010 refer solely to biological sex, excluding transgender women with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs) from legal classifications of womanhood under certain provisions.

In 2018, the Scottish Parliament ruled that the definition of a woman under the Gender Representation on Public Boards Act includes transgender women, meaning those who live as women or are in the process of transitioning. The Scottish government argued that individuals with a GRC – legally recognizing their gender as female – should be afforded the same protections and classifications as biological women under the Equality Act. (Related: Loopy liberals now trying to say the definition of a ‘woman’ is merely a decision not rooted in biological reality.)

However, Scottish campaign group For Women Scotland, which describes its mission as affirming that “there are only two sexes, that a person’s sex is not a choice, nor can it be changed,” challenged the interpretation. The group had pushed for this case to establish a uniform interpretation of sex across the United Kingdom.

The Supreme Court sided with the group, overturning the Scottish law that expanded the definition to include trans women in gender representation policies.

On Wednesday, April 16, the Supreme Court ruled that “a person with a GRC in the female gender does not come within the definition of ‘woman’ under the Equality Act 2010.” The court further stated that the Scottish government’s guidance on the matter was “incorrect,” effectively nullifying aspects of the 2018 legislation as they conflicted with U.K.-wide equality law.

The ruling excludes trans women from being classified as women in certain legal contexts, but it does not strip them of broader protections under the Equality Act. The judgment clarified that trans individuals remain shielded from discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment and can still pursue claims of direct or indirect sex-based discrimination.

Women hail the U.K. Supreme Court decision

Women’s rights groups and everyone else in favor of the lawsuit hailed the decision as a victory.

“It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court and, in winning, they’ve protected the rights of women and girls across the United Kingdom. @ForWomenScot, I’m so proud to know you,” British author and philanthropist J.K. Rowling, known for her seven-volume fantasy series Harry Potter, posted on her official account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Samantha Smith, a columnist for The Spectator, Daily Mail and Telegraph, also celebrated the triumph. “Woman (noun) – an adult female human being. Source: THE U.K. SUPREME COURT,” she posted on her official account on X, along with the screenshot of a news headline about the Supreme Court ruling.

Meanwhile, netizens thanked For Women Scotland for fighting for women’s rights.

“From me, my daughter-in-law, my granddaughter and everyone else’s mums, grandmas, daughters, daughters in law, aunts, granddaughters, women friends, etc. – THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE!!!” one X user posted, in response to the tweet of For Women Scotland.

Learn more about issues regarding transgenderism at GenderConfused.com.

Watch this discussion of Mel K and Charlie Robinson regarding the transgender movement.

This video is from the The Mel K Show channel on Brighteon.com.