UK Supreme Court Rules 'Sex' Means Biological Sex Under Equality Act

Last Updated: May 13, 2025

UK Supreme Court Rules 'Sex' Means Biological Sex Under Equality Act image

In a significant ruling on April 16, 2025, the UK Supreme Court unanimously held that 'sex', 'man', and 'woman' in the Equality Act 2010 refer exclusively to biological sex assigned at birth. The court clarified that possessing a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) does not alter biological sex for the Act's purposes. 

This decision impacts the legal basis for single-sex spaces/services (allowing exclusions if objectively justified) and areas like equal pay claims. It has major implications for transgender rights in the UK.

Source: Harvard Kennedy School

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