Trans people still protected by guidance, says Phillipson

New guidance on single-sex spaces has been introduced to parliament, with the equalities minister claiming it will uphold "people's rights across our country".

- AINE FOX

The updated code arrives over a year after a pivotal Supreme Court ruling in April 2025, which clarified that "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological women and biological sex. Women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson reiterated the ruling "made it clear that sex means biological sex" under the act, while confirming "trans people are still protected by the act".

The government states the new code offers "clear, workable guidance" for organisations to adopt a "pragmatic approach" in meeting societal needs. It aims to assist service providers, from hospitals to cafes and leisure centres, in making "practical, and ultimately sensible decisions for everyday scenarios, such as toilet provision".

While women's rights campaigners said the publication of the code yesterday must mark "an important turning point" in a long-running debate about sex and gender identity, trans rights activists have insisted trans people's "participation in public life" must be protected.