The British government has published new statutory guidance governing single-sex spaces across England and Wales — the formal implementation of last year’s landmark Supreme Court ruling that “woman” under the Equality Act refers to biological sex.
Women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson put the guidance — prepared by the Equality and Human Rights Commission — before parliament for a 40-day scrutiny period beginning Thursday. If no objections are raised, it will replace the existing code from 2011. The new code affects policies on toilets, hospital wards, refuges, schools, prisons, sports facilities, and healthcare settings.
The guidance follows the Supreme Court’s unanimous April 2025 ruling in For Women Scotland v. The Scottish Ministers, which confirmed that “sex” in the Equality Act refers to biological sex — meaning a transgender woman is legally considered male. The EHRC had issued interim guidance shortly after the ruling indicating that in some cases transgender women could be excluded from female-only spaces.
Phillipson stated the new code would “help ensure that organisations have clear guidance regarding its implementation, protecting people’s rights across our country.” Britain is doing what common sense and basic fairness demanded — putting the law’s protections for women back where they belong.
Discussion about this post