The case emerged from a dispute over Scottish laws that aimed to raise the number of women sitting on boards and transwomen were counted in this
The top court of the United Kingdom has ruled unanimously that the legal definition of “woman” excludes transwomen and that the term “woman” refers to “a biological woman and biological sex”. The ruling could have sweeping consequences on how equality laws are applied, particularly for people with a “certificated” sex identity.
The case emerged from a dispute over Scottish laws that aimed to raise the number of women sitting on boards and transwomen were counted in this. Transpeople must be worried over the implications of the ruling that could see them left out of places and activities in which their sex certificate made them “women” with equal rights as their biological sisters.
Across the pond, US President Donald Trump is probably celebrating not only his Scottish ancestry that may give him an affinity towards the women who fought for this but also the verdict. For he is the one who signed the “no men in women’s sports” executive orders thus banning transgender girls and women from competing on sports teams that match their gender identity.
The polarising debate and actions on transgender rights are bound to increase in the UK even though all major political parties are praising the clarity that the verdict delivers with its definitive ruling of a person’s sex as biological.
Many may claim that this is a victory for common sense, except that transpeople may be left in the lurch as they may have become accustomed to privileges like using same-sex changing rooms, hospital wards and hostel accommodation that could be designated for biological women only from here on.
This is, however, a strike against “woke” activists among the liberal crowd who may have sought or carried out equality measures with zeal that provoked biological women to react and resist like this. Of course, transpeople, particularly transwomen, will be left fighting on for their gender identity though their rights as a person are to be protected by the same civil laws.
There is greater reason to worry because the marginalised community of transpeople have regularly been targeted in recent times and hate crimes against transgender and non-binary individuals are on an upward curve in the UK and the US.
