The Supreme Court’s ruling, which narrows the definition of “woman” to exclude transgender women, is not only scientifically and socially misguided—it is dangerous. It confuses sex (biological characteristics) with gender (socially constructed identity), ignoring decades of academic, medical, and sociological understanding.

This decision falsely positions trans women as threats to cisgender women’s safety, particularly in the debates of "bathroom politics". However, there is no basis to this and transgender women are in fact much more likely to be victimis, experiencing high levels of sexual violence and hate crimes. Meanwhile, the UK faces a genuine crisis of violence against women and girls, the vast majority committed by cisgender men.  If the Government was genuinely concerned with the protection of women they would address the the epidemic of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and femicide; the rise of misogyny and incel ideology online and the underfunding of women's services and lack of support for survivors rather than scapegoating an incredibly small yet overwhelmingly oppressed and marginalised minority. 

Trans women are not a threat to women - they are women, and among the most at risk. We question how the exclusion of trans women from female-only spaces will be enforced, without also harming biological women who do not fit the westernised standard of femininity. This approach harms all women and legitimises increased scrutiny, abuse, and violence. 

We also ask the Government to consider the devastating implications this ruling may have for the most vulnerable transgender women- including incarcerated and institutionalised transgender women who may potentially be put into male prisons or facilities, as well as homeless transgender women who may be turned away from vital services reserved for (biological) women. 

We urge the government to:

• Develop legislation protecting and respecting transgender individuals.
• Include transgender-awareness in the training of public servants (teachers, healthcare professionals, police, social workers).
• Include comprehensive, age-appropriate education about transgender identities in schools. This includes teaching the correct distinction between sex and gender and the recognition that gender is a socially constructed concept that changes culturally and temporally.
• Reform transgender healthcare, especially in mental health services (e.g. CAMHS/AMHS) and the NHS, to reflect current, affirming models of care rather than outdated and pathologizing frameworks.

We must learn from how society once marginalised lesbian and gay communities and commit to not repeating those mistakes with transgender people. History will judge us for how we protect (or fail) transgender people.