The UK’s highest court has issued a landmark ruling on what it means to be a woman, defining the term as “biological female.” The Equality Act 2010 governs issues of sex and gender, and the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision clarifies that terms like “man,” “woman,” and “sex” refer solely to biological characteristics. This ruling has significant implications for women-only services such as shelters, hospitals, and prisons, where individuals’ biological sex is a matter of verifiable fact.
The court’s definition applies primarily to interpreting anti-discrimination law, but its impact extends beyond specific situations covered by the Equality Act. For example, it confirms that men can be legally excluded from women-only services, while also allowing lesbian dating meetups to exclude trans women without risk of a legal challenge. The ruling aims to balance individual identities with verifiable facts and emphasizes respect for women’s dignity, privacy, and physical safety in such settings.
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/04/britain-rules-woman-supreme-court/682511