UK Supreme Court Rule “The Definition of a Woman is Defined by Biological Sex”: Royal Holloway Reacts

By Madeline Sidgwick : Editor-In-Chief

April 16th, 2025, saw the UK Supreme Court rule that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act “refer to a biological woman and biological sex”. The ruling will result in transgender women being excluded from female only spaces and that in the eyes of the legal system, that sex is defined in biological terms rather than by gender identity. The ruling will undeniably impact the lives of all the transgender community. 

Upon surveying Royal Holloway students on their feelings, concerns and what they deem is suitable action going ahead considering the ruling, it has become clear that students have many differing concerns.  Many see the ruling as a huge step backwards in terms of Queer rights and that it provides “a gateway for further prejudice against transgender people”. The media discourse and language that is not only perpetuated within the ruling, but that has surrounded the reporting of the court’s decision is also a question of concern. Once a body of such authority and influence makes such a definitive claim, many adopt such ideas, and specifically for the trans students on campus this is of huge concern. The isolating of the trans community within legal terminology may not seem to impact the community day to day, as argued in one response, but such terminology impacts the wider conversations regarding trans rights. The online discourse because of the ruling has been extremely polarising. From those agreeing with the courts’ ruling, those seeing the ruling as a progression for the rights of cisgendered women, and those who directly oppose the ruling, for some of the reasons outlined above. All of these arguments were reflected in the survey.   

A recurring issue that arose throughout the responses was a concern regarding how apolitical many RHUL students are more generally. There has been a lack of a response from students that goes anything beyond reposting Instagram post. Although social media is the key tool in spreading awareness, it can still be perceived that a lack of political agency from students has seen the ruling go unaddressed by many on campus. This raises broader questions regarding how engaged, or perhaps disengaged, RHUL students are when it comes to politics, and more specifically the impact that decisions from authoritative bodies can have on our peers. Perhaps due to a feeling of alienation in an increasingly hostile political climate, students are increasingly disengaging with politics, and the news more broadly. Many questions can be raised regarding the impact of short form media on political apathy, but it is certain that students must have opinions on events with political consequences, even when it does not directly affect them. This concern is undeniably defined by the political climate that we exist in, however, the idea that ‘silence is complaisance’ was put forward by many. It could be argued that many avoid addressing the ruling due to it surrounding, what some would perceive as controversial and polarising topics. However, avoiding political jargon and questioning whether the fundamental rights of a particular group should be deemed controversial, is a question that many on campus should be asking themselves.   

Students articulated the importance of being an ally to the trans community, and that ensuring the support and prevention of isolation is prioritised by both students and the Royal Holloway Student’s Union (SU). Upon asking what the SU should be doing to support the student body, and specifically the trans community, considering the ruling, many said that the protection of safe spaces for the trans community was the number one priority. It was again raised that the ruling should be spoken about, and not simply forgotten amongst the many news headlines that can consume students. The provision of mental health support for the trans community was also brought up in many responses. 

Shortly after the ruling SU President Sharanya Sivarajah addressed its impacts and offered SU support to students, via Instagram reels.  We reached out to the student union for an official statement, and below is their response and message to students. 

As your elected officer team and as a Students’ Union, our first and foremost priority is the wellbeing, safety, and inclusion of every single one of our members. We want to take this opportunity to reaffirm our unwavering support for our Transgender community here at Royal Holloway.  We also deeply saddened to hear that the FA (football association) has announced that Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women’s football in England from 1 June 2025. We recognise that this ruling, and subsequent announcements, have understandably caused a great deal of concern, frustration, and upset among our Transgender students and wider community. We want to emphasise clearly and unequivocally: your rights, your safety, and your dignity matter deeply to us. The Students’ Union has, and will continue to have, a zero-tolerance policy towards any and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and bullying.  At this time, we would also like to remind everyone that support is available. If you or someone you know has been affected by this news, please do not hesitate to reach out. Support services are available both through the Students’ Union and the University, and we are here to listen, to help, and to stand alongside you.

Please find some support resources below:   

Wellbeing Team at Royal Holloway  Email: [email protected]  

MermaidsUK Website: Homepage – Mermaids  Tel: 08088010400  

Switch Board Email: [email protected]  Tel: 08000119100  

Gendered Intelligence:  Email: [email protected]  Tel: 0800 640 8046

Image: Karollyne Videira Hubert via Unsplash