The UK Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in a landmark ruling that there are only two sexes: male and female. According to British media, the Supreme Court judges wrote in their ruling that a woman means a person who is born as a woman. The judges further wrote that the Equality Act 2010 defines a woman not on the basis of legal sex but on the basis of biological sex, i.e. the sex of the newborn at birth. The decision came after a case by the women’s rights organization “For Women Scotland”, which took the Scottish government to court.

The organization argued that the definition of “gender” and “woman” in the law should only apply to people who were female at birth. The court ruled that the decision was not a victory or defeat for any one party, but a matter of interpretation of the law. The judges further clarified that the law also protects transgender people from discrimination. Meanwhile, Scottish First Minister John Sweeney acknowledged the court’s decision and said the government would consider its implications. The British government also said that the decision would give confidence to women and those providing services to them.
On the other hand, Conservative Party leader Kim Badenoch called it a victory for women who have faced criticism or lost their jobs simply for speaking the truth. Author J.K. Rowling praised the decision and paid tribute to the three “brave and determined” women who brought the case to court. However, Green Party MP Maggie Chapman called the decision a human rights concern, saying that it could cause serious harm to trans people.
The legal dispute began in 2018 when the Scottish Parliament passed a bill that included transgender people in women’s quotas to ensure gender balance in public institutions.