How will the court ruling affect transgender people?

The Supreme Court decision yesterday could have long-lasting ramifications on how equality laws are interpreted.

- HOLLY EVANS

It could impact the way that trans people use single-sex spaces such as toilets, refuge spaces and hospital wards.

And it is likely to reignite the contentious debate around sex and gender that has caused a headache for both Westminster and Edinburgh in recent years and renew pressure from campaigners on either side.

What does the ruling mean?

In the ruling justices at the UK’s highest court unanimously ruled in favour of For Women Scotland (FWS), and ruled that “woman” in equality law refers to biological women.

The judges said the “central question” is how the words “woman” and “sex” are defined in the 2019 Equality Act. The justices added that if “sex” did not only mean biological sex in the Equality Act, providers of single-sex spaces including changing rooms, homeless hostels and medical services would face “practical difficulties”.

This is likely to affect policymaking on gender in sports, as well as within the armed services. Other spaces likely to be affected will be hospitals, as well as women-only charities, and access to changing rooms and women-only spaces.

Lord Hodge stressed that trans people are still protected under the Equality Act from discrimination and harassment.

Meanwhile, trans rights campaigners have urged those affected to remain calm until further details are clarified about the daily impact this will have on trans people.

What is the case about?