New guidance on single-sex spaces comes into force
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has issued new guidance stating that single-sex spaces like toilets and changing rooms should be organized based on biological sex. The code applies to public bodies and services in England, Wales, and Scotland, aiming to clarify the interpretation of the 2010 Equality Act.
Why it matters
This guidance addresses the ongoing legal and social tension between trans-inclusive policies and sex-based rights in public infrastructure.
Image source, Shutterstock Image caption, EHRC code covers spaces open to the public in England, Wales and Scotland
Single-sex spaces open to the public, such as toilets and changing rooms, should be organised based on biological sex, according to official guidance that has come into force.
The code, published by Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), says trans people should use either gender-neutral facilities or the ones that match their biological sex, in places such as gym changing rooms or rape crisis centres.
The guidance was published in June but is now in place in England, Wales and Scotland - despite opposition among some MPs.
It comes 16 months after the UK Supreme Court ruled "sex" in equality law means "biological sex" rather than the gender someone identifies as.
Trans-rights campaigners have called the guidance unworkable, but groups that campaign for sex-based rights welcome the clarity it brings.
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