Latest news with #biologicalwomen
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
At long last, the SNP is forced to accept the word 'woman' refers to biological sex
The definition of a woman refers to biological sex, the SNP government has finally been forced to accept in landmark new guidance. For the first time, the Scottish Government has set out its new position in formal guidance published in the wake of its Supreme Court defeat on the issue. In an update about laws around gender quotas on public sector boards, it states references to woman or women in the legislation 'are references to a biological woman or women'. It issued the new approach after being threatened with legal action unless it implemented the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman. Now ministers have been urged to ensure that all relevant guidance and legislation is updated. Maya Forstater, chief executive of human rights charity Sex Matters, said: 'The Scottish Government's clarification that the word 'woman' refers to biological women in its guidance concerning public boards might look trivial to a casual observer, but its impact will be outsize. 'As we have outlined in our letter before action, the Scottish Government must now act to bring all its policies in line with the law – and biological reality.' The Gender Representation on Public Boards Act was meant to create a 50:50 balance of women and men on quango boards. It originally defined a woman as 'anyone living as a woman', including biological males with or without a gender recognition certificate (GRC). For Women Scotland successfully challenged this in Scotland's courts and ministers dropped the definition from their law, but the revised guidance continued to say 'woman' included a trans woman with a GRC. After For Women Scotland appealed to the Supreme Court, judges ruled the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. In updated guidance on the Gender Representation on Public Boards Act issued as the Scottish parliament entered the summer recess, a section on 'the meaning of 'woman' for the purposes of the Act' said that 'references in the Act to a 'woman' or to 'women' are references to a biological woman or women'. The updated guidance was issued after Sex Matters threatened new legal action within 14 days if ministers fail to implement new policies and guidance. Scottish Tory equalities spokesman Tess White said: 'It appears only the threat of legal action has seen some common sense break out in the SNP. However, John Swinney has still failed to apologise for backing Nicola Sturgeon's reckless gender reforms.' In its submission to the Supreme Court ahead of last year's case, the Scottish Government argued references to a woman who is pregnant in the Equality Act would also apply to a 'pregnant man' born female. During the case, Ruth Crawford, KC, representing the Scottish Government, said a person with a GRC is 'recognised in law' as having changed sex 'and will have the protection afforded under the Equality Act'.
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Labour postpones women's conference over Supreme Court transgender ruling
Labour has postponed its women's conference because of the risk of protests and legal challenge following the Supreme Court ruling on gender. The party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) voted on Tuesday to postpone the event, which was due to take place in September, pending a review. A leaked advice paper had recommended postponing it because the 'only legally defensible alternative' would be to restrict attendance to biological women. The NEC also decided to extend the terms of those serving on the National Labour Women's Committee until a conference takes place and elections can be held. A Labour Party spokesperson said the party must make sure all its procedures 'comply with the Supreme Court's clear ruling' and that it would make any changes required with 'sensitivity and care'. The Supreme Court ruled in April that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. The party will interpret measures relating to women on the basis of biological sex at birth, it is understood. Labour had previously operated its 'positive action' measures on the basis of self-identification, allowing transgender women to take part. A leaked advice paper produced for the NEC meeting recommended postponing the women's conference on September 27 because 'there is a significant risk of legal challenge to the event as it currently operates' and 'there may be protests, direct action and heightened security risks' if it goes ahead. That could carry a 'political risk' of overshadowing the party's showcase autumn conference which begins the following day. The recommendation in the paper was to postpone the women's conference pending a wider review of positive action measures. The paper also says the party should issue guidance to make clear that all-women shortlists can only apply to 'applicants who were biologically female at birth'. Labour did not use all-women shortlists at the last general election. A Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Like all other organisations, the Labour Party must ensure all party procedures comply with the Supreme Court's clear ruling. 'Labour is clear that everyone in our society deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. 'The party will work closely with individuals and local parties to implement the necessary changes with sensitivity and care.' It is understood Labour will respect the Supreme Court judgment and comply with statutory guidance when it is published. Ministers will consider the Equality and Human Rights Commission's code of practice when a draft is submitted by the body. The Labour for Trans Rights group, along with Pride in Labour and LGBT+ Labour's trans officer, Georgia Meadows, condemned the NEC paper and its recommendations. They said: 'It is a blatant attack on trans rights and is seemingly an attempt to isolate trans people even further within the Labour Party and the labour movement more widely.' The Labour Women's Declaration group, which backs 'sex-based rights', said cancelling the conference would be a 'knee-jerk reaction'. A spokesperson told the LabourList website: 'We are shocked that hundreds of women in the Labour Party might be prevented from meeting at conference because the NEC would prefer to disadvantage all women rather than to exclude the very small number of trans-identified men who may wish to attend the women's conference.'
