Scottish Government Revises Gender Policies After Supreme Court Ruling

The Scottish government has announced it will not revive its controversial gender self-identification bill and will revise its gender-related policies following a unanimous Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of 'woman' in the Equality Act 2010 pertains only to biological women. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville stated the government fully accepts the judgment and has begun work to ensure all public sector policies and guidance comply with the law, awaiting further guidance from the UK-wide Equality and Human Rights Commission. The Supreme Court decision was prompted by a legal challenge from For Women Scotland, ruling that transgender women with gender recognition certificates cannot be included in posts reserved for women under equality legislation. This decision is expected to impact a broad range of public sector policies, including those governing single-sex spaces and hospital wards, and marks a significant shift away from Nicola Sturgeon’s previous agenda. While the government reassured the trans community of its continued commitment to equality and opposed any repeal of the 2004 Gender Recognition Act, critics and former ministers have called for written assurances that all public bodies comply with the new legal interpretation. The ruling and government response have highlighted ongoing divisions within the SNP and Scottish politics over gender policy.