New guidance for public bodies on single-sex spaces will be issued, after the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) says it is “working at pace” to provide an updated code of conduct for services, including the NHS and prisons. The ruling could have implications for spaces such as hospital wards, changing rooms and domestic refuges.The case was brought by women’s rights campaigners who challenged the Scottish government, arguing sex-based protections should apply only to people that are born female.On Wednesday judges ruled that when the term “woman” is used in the Equality Act it means a biological woman, and “sex” means biological sex.This means a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) does not change a person’s legal sex for the purposes of the Equality Act.The Supreme Court justices argued this was the only consistent, coherent interpretation.Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said the organisation was “pleased” the judgment addressed “difficulties” it highlighted in its submission to the court.There is already Equality Act guidance which allows for women-only spaces, such as toilets, changing rooms and hospital wards in certain circumstances.But under the new ruling a person who was born male but identifies as a woman does not have a right to use a space or service designated as women only.That includes transgender women who have legally changed their gender and hold a GRC.The equality watchdog says it expects its updated guidance to be in place by the summer.The new guidance could also have an im …
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[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nnNew guidance for public bodies on single-sex spaces will be issued, after the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) says it is “working at pace” to provide an updated code of conduct for services, including the NHS and prisons. The ruling could have implications for spaces such as hospital wards, changing rooms and domestic refuges.The case was brought by women’s rights campaigners who challenged the Scottish government, arguing sex-based protections should apply only to people that are born female.On Wednesday judges ruled that when the term “woman” is used in the Equality Act it means a biological woman, and “sex” means biological sex.This means a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) does not change a person’s legal sex for the purposes of the Equality Act.The Supreme Court justices argued this was the only consistent, coherent interpretation.Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said the organisation was “pleased” the judgment addressed “difficulties” it highlighted in its submission to the court.There is already Equality Act guidance which allows for women-only spaces, such as toilets, changing rooms and hospital wards in certain circumstances.But under the new ruling a person who was born male but identifies as a woman does not have a right to use a space or service designated as women only.That includes transgender women who have legally changed their gender and hold a GRC.The equality watchdog says it expects its updated guidance to be in place by the summer.The new guidance could also have an im …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]
