Supreme Court gender ruling: For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers

One of this year’s most covered legal judgments is the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling that, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, gender is to be understood in terms of sex recorded at birth and not gender identity.  

The landmark judgment attempted to bring clarity to UK equality law but instead has generated division and legal uncertainty, which has been furthered by media coverage that has often misrepresented the impact of the ruling.

Handed down on 16 April 2025, the Supreme Court gender ruling sought to resolve the question of whether transgender women are defined as women for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 (EA 2010). This comes in the context of a recent history of increased gender-related disputes. While the majority of the sex-discrimination cases Chambers has observed over the last few years do not pertain to transgender individuals, the fact that both traditional sex discrimination and disputes concerning transgender people are on the rise means that the firms with a strong focus on discrimination are likely to be kept busy. 

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Our research indicates that Chambers UK 2026 submissions have seen a 10% increase in gender-related litigations this research cycle compared to 2025, and the number of sex discrimination cases mentioned on submissions has increased by 92% since 2024. 

These cases are primarily made up of employment disputes, with a small portion of these cases concerning transgender people. 

The Supreme Court ruling has drawn mixed reactions and has been interpreted variously as both clear and confusing. Supporters of the gender-critical movement welcome the decision for providing what they see as much-needed clarity. However, many bodies, including the UN, have criticised the ruling and described it as creating uncertainty and practical challenges which are likely to be detrimental to the transgender community.

The question of how gender identity is recognised in UK law first came to light in the early 2000s, when the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the UK was in violation of its duties by not recognising a person's acquired gender in Christine Goodwin v The United Kingdom. In response, Parliament enacted the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA 2004), creating an official process to enable people to change their legal gender through a Gender Recognition Certificate.  

The subsequent EA 2010 consolidated and further expanded protection against discrimination based on a range of characteristics, including sex and gender reassignment. It also extended protection to religious and philosophical beliefs under Section 10. The Grainger Test, developed through case law, set out five conditions for determining if a belief qualifies for protection under section 10. These conditions have since become a focal point of litigation in cases concerning gender-critical beliefs. 

Forstater v CGD Europe (2021)

The Employment Appeal Tribunal determined that employees may hold gender-critical beliefs, but may not actively disrespect transgender colleagues, establishing a landmark precedent.

Mackereth v DWP (2022)

The Employment Appeal Tribunal overturned a previous ruling by the Employment Tribunal, acknowledging that gender-critical beliefs did meet the threshold for protection under the Grainger Test.

Phoenix v The Open University (2024)

The Employment Tribunal found that Phoenix had been subjected to a targeted campaign of harassment and discrimination due to her gender-critical beliefs.

Allison Bailey v Stonewall (2024)

The Employment Tribunal held that gender-critical beliefs, specifically the belief that sex recorded at birth defines womanhood, are protected philosophical beliefs under the law.

Legal disputes in this area have frequently turned on whether recognising gender-critical beliefs as a protected belief might conflict with protections for sex and gender reassignment. Those with gender-critical beliefs argue such beliefs concern legitimate questions of law and policy, however, those supporting the rights of transgender people say that these beliefs put the rights of the transgender community at risk. This issue has come to a head in various cases. 

These ongoing questions reached a decisive point in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers. Here, the Supreme Court was asked to answer a pivotal question: how the EA 2010 defines the terms “sex,” “man,” and “woman.” In a unanimous judgment, the Court held that, for the purposes of equality law, sex is determined by sex recorded at birth rather than by a legally acquired gender under the GRA 2004. 

The decision has attempted to provide clarity but instead has caused division and confusion for institutions navigating the intersection between gender-critical beliefs and transgender rights. This ruling leaves open important questions about how protected beliefs operate alongside the practical realities of equality and inclusion in workplaces and public institutions. 

Looking ahead, one case expected to test the boundaries of this interpretation is Sandie Peggie v NHS Fife and Dr Beth Upton, overviewed below:

The tribunal is being asked to consider whether the For Women Scotland judgment supports Peggie’s position, while also weighing NHS Fife’s internal policies and the specific circumstances of the dispute. The outcome will be closely watched, potentially setting an influential precedent for how sex recorded at birth will be applied in real case contexts. 

Sex and gender-related cases remain a growth area for 2025. Despite the significant coverage received by the For Women Scotland Supreme Court judgement, only a small proportion of these cases concern the rights of transgender people under the EA 2010. Due to present confusion created by this judgement, combined with the often high-profile nature of media coverage when these cases arise, it is essential that organisations seek expert legal advice.

Chambers' comprehensive rankings help you identify leading practitioners advising on complex gender-related employment and equality matters in the UK. 

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