The Supreme Court’s decision in the For Women Scotland case
The Supreme Court ruling that people are the sex they were assigned at birth for the purposes of the Equalities Act, and subsequent interim update issued by the Equalities & Human Rights Commission, has had a devastating impact on trans women and men, amongst whom we count many members.
We share the view of the Scottish Trades Union Congress when, at a recent conference, it stated:
We believe that solidarity with trans and non-binary people must be a matter of principle for the trade union movement, just as we oppose racism, sexism and ableism. Trans inclusion is a workplace issue. Our solidarity cannot depend on the law or how courts interpret it; there can be unjust laws and legal decisions.
The law must evolve to reflect understandings of gender and ensure explicit protection for trans, non-binary, gender diverse, and intersex people. Equality for trans and gender-diverse people is a trade union, workers’, and human rights issue.