Trans-rights Campaigners Called the Guidance Unworkable, While Sex-based Rights Groups Welcomed Its Clarity

New official guidance requiring single-sex public spaces in England, Wales and Scotland to be organised based on biological sex has come into force. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) code, published in June, says trans people should use gender-neutral facilities or those matching their biological sex in places like gym changing rooms and rape crisis centres. It follows the UK Supreme Court's April 2025 ruling that "sex" in equality law means biological sex.

Trans-rights campaigners called the guidance unworkable, while sex-based rights groups welcomed its clarity. The code applies to cafes, leisure centres, public toilets, domestic violence shelters and bowls clubs, stating that where single-sex facilities are proportionate, only those of the same biological sex should use them. However, forcing a transgender person to use services tied to their biological sex could amount to discrimination, with gender-neutral spaces offered as an alternative.

The guidance was approved by Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson in September 2025, and despite 167 MPs signing a motion to scrap it, it was not debated. Organisations like the Women's Institute and Girl Guiding have already aligned with the code. Alexandra Parmar-Yee of Trans+ Solidarity Alliance said: "Trans people will be shut out of the services they need, made to feel unwelcome and unsafe in public spaces. Maya Forstater of Sex Matters countered: "The law is clear and the code is practical, giving many examples that apply to everyday services.