UK Supreme Court judgement: Update

Following last week’s ruling by the UK Supreme Court, we know many people are worried about whether they can keep using the same toilets or going to the same places as they could last week.

We know that people are frightened about the future and are unsure of what happens next.

Our message to the trans community is this: Keep living your life.

Lord Hodge, who read last week’s judgement, was clear that trans women should not be excluded as standard and “it is not the role of the court to adjudicate on the arguments in the public domain on the meaning of gender or sex, nor is it to define the meaning of the word ‘woman’”. 

However, we don’t yet know how organisations like the NHS and service providers will respond to the judgement or the discussions that have happened since. 

What we do know is that comments by Keir Starmer, speculation in the news, or claims on social media don’t change who you are.

We know you still deserve dignity and respect, and that you are protected from discrimination and harassment.

We know that most people are decent, kind and inclusive, and many simply don’t care about who does or doesn’t count as a woman. Support services want to keep helping trans service users, employers want to look after their trans staff and businesses want to retain trans customers.

Remember: We have survived worse. Politics and laws have often been used or misused to silence and suppress the queer community. Our Prime Minister, our equalities minister, and the head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission now join those ranks.

Ultimately it is up to each of us to decide what makes us feel safe. We encourage all trans people to keep on using the toilets and facilities that they are used to, doing the sports and activities that bring them joy, and seeking the support that they need when they are hurt or in trouble.

Meanwhile, we’re working on what happens next and how we will respond.

It’s true that trans women in particular may face more hostility now, and that policies on who can access some spaces may change. We’re supporting our communities to deal with this and will be working on guidance to help people stay safe. We’re working across the sector to challenge unjust policies and supporting services to be trans inclusive. 

We’re talking to our colleagues and our communities to figure out the best way to push back and stand up for trans people. In the meanwhile, we’re going to channel our anger into care. We’ll keep on looking after our young people and support groups, and our staff at Gendered Intelligence as well. 

We encourage you to do the same. Whether it’s attending a rally, spending time with your friends, or speaking out in other ways, do something for yourself or your community.

Those who came before us continued to live their lives in spite of injustice. We will do the same.