16th April 2025, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based solely on biological sex, regardless of whether someone has a Gender Recognition Certificate.
Whilst the full implications of this are not yet known, what is already clear is that this ruling will cause fear, and distress within the trans, non-binary and intersex (TNBI) community. For many, it feels like another moment where their identities are being questioned or erased. Sadly, decisions like this can also embolden people to express transphobic views more openly – including through hateful language or violence. This ruling does not just affect our TNBI community but also poses challenges to safety for anyone who may not fit ‘body norms’. We want to offer our support and solidarity to anyone who has been affected in any way.
At The Clock Tower Sanctuary, we are proud that many of the young people we support are trans or non-binary. We want to be clear: they will always be welcome here, they are valued for who they are, and we will be listening to them as we move forward.
We also want to be clear that transphobic language or behaviour has no place at The Clock Tower Sanctuary. It goes against our respect agreement and the values we stand for as an organisation. We are committed to ensuring our centre remains a space where everyone is treated with dignity, and we will always challenge language or actions that make anyone feel unwelcome or unsafe.
Practically speaking, this ruling will not change how we run our services. Trans women will always be welcome in our women’s group and everyone’s gender identity will be respected. Everyone deserves access to safety, support, and community – and we will not compromise on that.
This post from Gendered Intelligence is a helpful articulation of the implications and also provides links to anyone who may want to reach out for support:
https://genderedintelligence.co.uk/news/19-uk-supreme-court-judgement-on-women-and-sex-in-the-equality-act-2010