Response from the Minister for Equalities to Our Letter Addressed to Bridget Phillipson MP
In April we sent at letter signed by over over 200 people — including broadcasters, priests, vicars, academics, and the LGBTIQA+ Greens from the Green Party of England and Wales — to MP Bridget Phillipson, the Labour Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, demanding accountability, clarity, and respect for trans rights following the Supreme Court judgment. You can read the original letter here.
On Wednesday 18th June, we received a response from Dame Nia Griffith DBE MP, Minister for Equalities.
While the Minister does acknowledge the concern and anxiety many people are feeling following the recent Supreme Court ruling, we remain unconvinced that the government is taking these concerns seriously over the ideological lobbying of anti-trans groups.
It is clear that their so-called “[commitment] to protecting trans people” is not being felt within the community, and much more can be done by the government to deliver on this.
Read the full response below with alt text underneath.
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Dear Thomas,
Thank you for your letter of 25 April, addressed to the Minister for Women and Equalities, the Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, on behalf of over 200 individuals and organisations, regarding the implications of the Supreme Court’s judgment in the For Women Scotland case. I am replying as the Minister for Equalities.
I want to begin by acknowledging the deep concern and anxiety many people are feeling following the recent Supreme Court ruling and its potential implications for trans people. I know that, for many, this decision has raised serious questions about rights, safety, and belonging. I want you to know that I hear those concerns, and I recognise the very real impact this moment is having on members of the trans community, their families, and allies.
In its judgment, the Supreme Court announced on 16 April it had reached a unanimous decision that the terms ‘man’, ‘woman’, and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex. It ruled that a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change a person’s legal sex for the purposes of the Act.
It stated the definition of sex in the Act “makes clear that the concept of sex is binary”. It further noted that “although the word ‘biological’ does not appear in this definition, the ordinary meaning of those plain and unambiguous words corresponds with the biological characteristics that make an individual a man or a woman.”
The Government welcomes the Supreme Court’s clarification of the meaning of sex for the purposes of the Equality Act, and the confidence and clarity it provides for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges and sports clubs regarding single-sex services. Single-sex services based on biological sex are protected in law and will always be protected by this Government.
We also recognise that the application of the ruling to some services and settings is complex. It requires careful work to ensure that service providers have confidence in how they apply the Equality Act on a day-to-day basis.
The independent Equality and Human Rights Commission – Britain’s equality watchdog – is currently consulting on its draft updated Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations. This will provide guidance to service providers. The consultation closes on 30 June, and we would encourage individuals and organisations to participate.
I assure you that the Government remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold the Act which protects everyone, including trans people, from unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation in the workplace and wider society. We are committed to protecting trans people, ensuring that they are treated with dignity and respect. The Government is proceeding with its manifesto commitments to deliver a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, and to equalise all existing strands of hate crime, and we are working to improve adult gender identity services so that all trans people get the high-quality care they deserve.
I hope this information is helpful and thanks again for writing on this important matter.
Yours sincerely,
Dame Nia Griffith DBE MP
Minister for Equalities
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