Supreme Court Ruling Shifts Government Stance on Gender Definition

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer no longer believes that transgender women are legally women under the Equality Act, according to his official spokesperson. The statement follows a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that defines a woman as a biological female in the context of single-sex spaces and protections under the law.

Asked directly whether the Prime Minister still considered trans women to be women, his spokesperson responded, “No, the Supreme Court judgment has made clear that when looking at the Equality Act, a woman is a biological woman.”

The ruling has major implications for access to single-sex spaces, such as bathrooms, hospital wards, and shelters. It confirms that individuals who were born male, even with a gender recognition certificate (GRC), can be legally excluded from women-only spaces if the exclusion is deemed “proportionate.”

From “Trans Women Are Women” to “Adult Female”

This marks a significant shift from Starmer’s previous stance. In 2022, he told The Times: “A woman is a female adult, and in addition to that trans women are women, and that is not just my view – that is actually the law.”

Since then, his rhetoric has notably hardened. In 2023, Starmer told The Sunday Times that for “99.9%” of women “of course they haven’t got a penis,” and later reaffirmed to BBC Radio 5 Live that “a woman is an adult female.”

In April 2024, he defended former Labour MP Rosie Duffield, saying she was “biologically right” to claim that “only women have a cervix”—a statement he had previously criticized in 2021.

Backlash and Political Fallout

The Labour government’s shift has sparked political controversy. Conservative Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch accused Labour of a “U-turn,” arguing they had “abandoned common sense” in earlier years. “We didn’t need the Supreme Court to tell us what a woman is,” she told Parliament. “But this government did.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson echoed support for the ruling, stating that access to women’s toilets and other spaces should be “on the basis of biological sex.” She also highlighted plans for new guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to ensure dignity and privacy in service provision.

Labour’s Internal Tensions Remain

Despite the official line, the ruling is likely to stir unease within Labour ranks. Many MPs have long supported trans rights and pushed for a “trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices” and reform of the Gender Recognition Act—both still listed as Labour Party policy.

One MP, speaking privately, indicated frustration at what they view as political opportunism. “The clarity from the courts might help legally, but it’s making things murkier politically for Labour’s progressive base,” they said.

A Question of Law, Identity, and Leadership

Sir Keir welcomed the Supreme Court ruling, describing it as “much-needed clarity” and confirming that the government would align guidance accordingly. Yet, asked outright whether he believes a trans woman is a woman, he reiterated: “A woman is an adult female, and the court has made that absolutely clear.”

As this debate continues to evolve, the UK finds itself once again at the intersection of legal definitions, human identity, and political leadership—raising fresh questions about how inclusive policy can be shaped in a deeply divided society.

Category: UK Politics, Gender & Identity, Human Rights, Law & Policy
Tags: Keir Starmer, transgender rights UK, UK Equality Act, Supreme Court gender ruling, Bridget Phillipson, Kemi Badenoch, Rosie Duffield, Labour U-turn, single-sex spaces UK, biological sex law