In a significant policy shift, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for an immediate ban on transgender women entering female-only spaces, urging public institutions to enforce a recent Supreme Court ruling without delay. The April 2025 decision clarified that under the Equality Act 2010, the terms “woman” and “𝓈ℯ𝓍” refer to biological 𝓈ℯ𝓍, meaning transgender women, even those with a Gender Recognition Certificate, can be excluded from single-𝓈ℯ𝓍 spaces like toilets, changing rooms, and hospital wards if deemed proportionate. Starmer, speaking at a NATO summit in The Hague, emphasized that public bodies such as hospitals and universities must comply swiftly, stating, “We’ve accepted the ruling, welcomed the ruling, and everything else flows from that.” This marks a departure from his earlier stance in 2022, when he said, “trans women are women,” a position Downing Street has since retracted.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has sparked intense debate. Gender-critical groups, such as Sex Matters, have praised Starmer’s directive as a vital step to protect women’s rights, with CEO Maya Forstater calling it an “important intervention” to address public bodies’ failure to implement the judgment. Conversely, trans advocacy groups like TransActual have expressed alarm, warning that the policy risks marginalizing transgender individuals and potentially increasing their vulnerability to harm. Critics, including Labour’s National Executive Committee member Jess Barnard, have accused Starmer of endangering trans women by directing them to use male facilities, arguing it could force them out of public spaces or expose them to violence.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued interim guidance in May, advising that trans women should not access female-only facilities in public settings. This guidance, currently under consultation until July 2025, has fueled protests, with hundreds of trans activists rallying at Parliament to oppose what they call a “bathroom ban.” Campaigners like Jude Guaitamacchi of the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance have described the policy as devastating, arguing it undermines trans people’s dignity and safety. Meanwhile, gender-critical campaigners, including For Women Scotland, have celebrated the ruling, asserting that allowing trans women in female spaces poses safety risks.
Starmer’s push for rapid compliance has also drawn criticism for its perceived haste. Former Supreme Court judge Jonathan Sumption cautioned that the ruling is being misinterpreted, clarifying it does not mandate excluding trans women from all single-𝓈ℯ𝓍 spaces. In Scotland, where the government has resisted immediate changes to its gender policies, the ruling has prompted threats of legal action from groups like Sex Matters, who argue that public bodies are operating outside the law by not enforcing the decision.
The controversy highlights a broader tension in UK equality law, with some arguing the ruling provides clarity for protecting biological women’s spaces, while others see it as a rollback of trans rights. As institutions navigate the directive, the debate continues to polarize, with significant implications for transgender individuals’ access to public life.
