Union Statement following Supreme Court Ruling on Definition of ‘Woman’ in the Equality Act 2010

On April 16, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that the definitions of “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act exclude transgender women (Key takeaways of court ruling on legal definition of woman - BBC News, UK Supreme Court Trans Rights Ruling: What You Need to Know). Kingston Students’ Union want to reiterate our unwavering commitment to supporting and affirming our trans student community. Please know that your identity will continue to be respected and affirmed here. 

Transgender people are still safeguarded by the Equality Act based on their transgender and LGBTQ+ identity and are protected against discrimination related to gender reassignment. However, this ruling is a very painful blow to transgender rights and transgender people in the UK, and we deeply empathise with our trans student community who may be concerned about a rise in hatred and misunderstanding in the UK and across our campuses.  

Kingston Students’ Union supports everyone’s right to self-identify, and we will continue to celebrate our gender-diverse student body through our inclusive events, campaigns and student societies. We are committed to ensuring both the university and the union continue to provide inclusive, safe spaces and services for everyone.  

Many of the repercussions of this ruling, including how it is to be enforced, remain very unclear. There is a possibility that this ruling will be appealed. We will be keeping a close eye on this as it develops and will ensure we remain transparent with our student community at every turn.  

Student safety remains a top priority for us, and we will enforce our zero-tolerance policy towards gender-based discrimination. If you ever feel unsafe at a KSU event, venue, or within any of our societies or sports clubs, don't hesitate to get in touch with us at studentsunion@kingston.ac.uk. All complaints related to this issue will be handled with utmost seriousness, following our established procedures.  

If this difficult news has affected your mental health and wellbeing, we encourage you to seek support and rely on the community. The University offers a variety of  wellbeing and support services, and there are additional resources below. 

Trans women are women. Trans men are men.  

Support and guidance  

• LGBTQ+ & Allies Society, our protected LGBTQ+ student society, holds regular safe space events and community meetups.  

• Kingston LGBTQI+ Network is a local LGBTQ+ charity that holds regular social meetups and wellness sessions. This charity has a specific subgroup for transgender members.  

• Switchboard is a national LGBTQIA+ helpline that offers service by phone, email or chat function. 

• Student Minds provides guidance on navigating life and University as a trans student. 

• Galop, UK charity that works with and for LGBTQ+ victims and survivors of interpersonal abuse and violence. 

• Mind OUT is a UK charity that provides counselling services for LGBTQ+ people across the country.