UK Supreme Court ruled that Equality Act 2010 defines women as biological women

London – The UK Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the UK’s equality law defines a woman as a biological woman. Judge Patrick Hodge said five judges in the court unanimously ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sexual behavior. ”

The ruling on the interpretation of the 2010 law refers to transgender people with certificates that regard as women as women should not be considered as women under legislation for equal purposes. But the court added that its ruling “will not eliminate protections for trans people” who “are discriminated against on the grounds of gender redistribution.”

The case stems from a 2018 law passed by the Scottish Parliament, saying that the board of directors of Scottish public institutions should have 50% of women represented. The law includes trans women in their definition of women.

Regarding the Scottish Women (FWS), the Women’s Rights Organization has challenged the law, believing that it redefines women beyond parliamentary powers. But Scottish officials then issued new guidance, pointing out that women’s definitions include people with certificates of gender recognition. The FWS successfully tried to overturn this.

The ruling of the top UK courts is in the Trump administration’s efforts Bar transsexual Served from the U.S. Military Participate in women’s sports,Then prohibit Gender care for minors – Many of them currently face legal challenges in U.S. courts.

The FWS has said the outcome of the case could have consequences in Scotland, England and Wales for gender-based rights as well as single-sex rights such as toilets, hospital wards and prisons.

“Don’t associate the definition of sexuality with the common meaning,” said Trina Budge, the organization’s director. “It means that the public board can imagine being made up of 50% of men and 50% of men with certificates, but still legally fits the goal of women’s representation.”

The challenge was rejected by the court in 2022, but the group was approved to bring its case to the Supreme Court last year.

FWS attorney Aidan O’Neill told the Supreme Court judges — three men and two women — under the Equality Act, “gender” should refer to biology and be understood in “ordinary, everyday language.”

“Our position is that your sex, whether you are a man, a woman, a girl or a boy, is determined by the conception in the uterus, even before a person is born, by the body,” he said. “This is an expression of a person’s physical reality. It is an unchanging biological state.”

The right-wing group of women counts in its supporter, author JK Rowling, who reportedly donated tens of thousands of pounds to support her work. The Harry Potter writer has been arguing that the rights of trans women should not come at the expense of biological women’s birth.

Opponents, including Amnesty International, say transgender people are excluded from gender discriminatory protections that conflict with human rights law.

The Amnesty Act filed a summary in court, saying it was concerned about the deterioration of rights of trans people in the UK and abroad.

“The package of policies that prohibit transgender women from accessing single-sex services is not a proportional means to achieve legitimate goals,” the human rights group said.