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| 'Supreme Court ruling has dire consequences for all trans people' say campaigners | 'Supreme Court ruling has dire consequences for all trans people' say campaigners |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Trans campaigners have criticised the Supreme Court Ruling | |
| Campaigners and politicians have warned the UK Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman will have "dire consequences" for the safety of trans people. | Campaigners and politicians have warned the UK Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman will have "dire consequences" for the safety of trans people. |
| Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman told BBC Scotland News the trans community is now worried that "people are coming after their right to exist" as a result of the ruling. | Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman told BBC Scotland News the trans community is now worried that "people are coming after their right to exist" as a result of the ruling. |
| On Wednesday, judges unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. | On Wednesday, judges unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. |
| The Equality and Human Rights Commission said the decision would result in an updated code of conduct for services, including the NHS and prisons, potentially affecting spaces such as hospital wards, changing rooms and domestic refuges. | |
| The Scottish government had argued that transgender people with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) are entitled to the same sex-based protections as biological women. | The Scottish government had argued that transgender people with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) are entitled to the same sex-based protections as biological women. |
| But judges sided with campaign group For Women Scotland, which brought a case against arguing that sex-based protections should only apply to those born female. | But judges sided with campaign group For Women Scotland, which brought a case against arguing that sex-based protections should only apply to those born female. |
| Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman, a prominent supporter of trans rights, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme the decision would "stoke the fires of the culture war" and trans people now feared they could lose access to facilities they've used, in some cases, for decades. | Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman, a prominent supporter of trans rights, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme the decision would "stoke the fires of the culture war" and trans people now feared they could lose access to facilities they've used, in some cases, for decades. |
| She said: "The response by For Women Scotland and other associated groups was very, very clear - they are taking this as a victory and that is potentially dangerous about where they go next. | She said: "The response by For Women Scotland and other associated groups was very, very clear - they are taking this as a victory and that is potentially dangerous about where they go next. |
| "We've already heard people say they want to repeal the gender recognition act 2004, and trans people are worried that people are coming after their right to exist." | "We've already heard people say they want to repeal the gender recognition act 2004, and trans people are worried that people are coming after their right to exist." |
| She added that trans people had been attacked in recent years "just for being who they are" and she was "concerned" about the impact of the Supreme Court decision. | She added that trans people had been attacked in recent years "just for being who they are" and she was "concerned" about the impact of the Supreme Court decision. |
| Women's groups argued that sex-based protections should only apply to people born female | |
| Campaigner Kerrie Meyer, who had gender reassignment at the age of 72, criticised the ruling and said it would set back progress for trans people like her. | Campaigner Kerrie Meyer, who had gender reassignment at the age of 72, criticised the ruling and said it would set back progress for trans people like her. |
| She said: "At the stroke of pen, the security and well-being of all transgender people, whether now deemed as biological male and female, is in jeopardy. | She said: "At the stroke of pen, the security and well-being of all transgender people, whether now deemed as biological male and female, is in jeopardy. |
| "The Supreme Court's ruling has created severe implications for all trans people and has failed to take into account the dire consequences and untenable results that will occur." | "The Supreme Court's ruling has created severe implications for all trans people and has failed to take into account the dire consequences and untenable results that will occur." |
| Kerrie Meyer had gender reaasignment at the age of 72 | Kerrie Meyer had gender reaasignment at the age of 72 |
| Kerrie, now 77, moved to Shetland from Hastings in East Sussex in 2008 and was founder of the Shetland Islands Pride festival. | Kerrie, now 77, moved to Shetland from Hastings in East Sussex in 2008 and was founder of the Shetland Islands Pride festival. |
| She said the rights of trans people had been advanced by the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the Equality Act 2010. | She said the rights of trans people had been advanced by the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the Equality Act 2010. |
| She believes the Supreme Court case was motivated by "reserving and maintaining" woman's spaces from trans women, regardless of whether they held a Gender Recognition Certificate. | She believes the Supreme Court case was motivated by "reserving and maintaining" woman's spaces from trans women, regardless of whether they held a Gender Recognition Certificate. |
| The Supreme Court had been asked to decide on the proper interpretation of the 2010 Equality Act, which applies across Britain. | The Supreme Court had been asked to decide on the proper interpretation of the 2010 Equality Act, which applies across Britain. |
| Judge Lord Hodge said the ruling should not be seen as a triumph of one side over the other, and stressed that the law still gives protection against discrimination to transgender people. | Judge Lord Hodge said the ruling should not be seen as a triumph of one side over the other, and stressed that the law still gives protection against discrimination to transgender people. |
| Kerrie Meyer founder the Shetland pride festival | Kerrie Meyer founder the Shetland pride festival |
| Kerrie told BBC Radio Scotland that it would be "totally and utterly ridiculous" for her to change her behaviour in public. | Kerrie told BBC Radio Scotland that it would be "totally and utterly ridiculous" for her to change her behaviour in public. |
| She said: "I was born a man. Under the law I am a woman. I dress like a woman. I act like a woman. And I am a woman. | She said: "I was born a man. Under the law I am a woman. I dress like a woman. I act like a woman. And I am a woman. |
| "If I go to the toilet and there is another woman in there, they don't know whether I have got a gender recognition certificate or not." | "If I go to the toilet and there is another woman in there, they don't know whether I have got a gender recognition certificate or not." |
| Kerrie also believes that recognition certificates should only be granted if someone has undergone gender reassignment surgery. | Kerrie also believes that recognition certificates should only be granted if someone has undergone gender reassignment surgery. |
| 'Significant implications' for equality law | 'Significant implications' for equality law |
| However Rachel Hamilton, of the Scottish Conservatives, told Good Morning Scotland the decision was " basic common sense" and would being "clarity" to the trans debate. | However Rachel Hamilton, of the Scottish Conservatives, told Good Morning Scotland the decision was " basic common sense" and would being "clarity" to the trans debate. |
| She said: "The reason we ended up at the Supreme Court is because there was confusion in Scotland. Now we have a clear and unambiguous decision on what is a biological woman." | She said: "The reason we ended up at the Supreme Court is because there was confusion in Scotland. Now we have a clear and unambiguous decision on what is a biological woman." |
| She said the Scottish government must set out a ministerial statement on how they would move forward with the Supreme Court ruling. | She said the Scottish government must set out a ministerial statement on how they would move forward with the Supreme Court ruling. |
| The Equality and Human Rights Commission said the ruling would bring "significant implications" for interpreting equality laws. | The Equality and Human Rights Commission said the ruling would bring "significant implications" for interpreting equality laws. |
| Its chair, Baroness Kishwer Falkner, said: "This judgment resolves the difficulties we highlighted in our submission to the court and in our advice to the former Minister for Women and Equalities more than two years ago. | Its chair, Baroness Kishwer Falkner, said: "This judgment resolves the difficulties we highlighted in our submission to the court and in our advice to the former Minister for Women and Equalities more than two years ago. |
| "These include the challenges faced by those seeking to maintain single-sex spaces, and the rights of same-sex attracted persons to form associations." | "These include the challenges faced by those seeking to maintain single-sex spaces, and the rights of same-sex attracted persons to form associations." |
| An updated code of practice is expected to be laid before Parliament before the summer recess. | An updated code of practice is expected to be laid before Parliament before the summer recess. |
| This code helps service providers, public bodies and associations to understand their duties under the Equality Act and put them into practice | This code helps service providers, public bodies and associations to understand their duties under the Equality Act and put them into practice |
| The Scottish government's finance minister Shona Robison previously told BBC News the administration would work with the EHRC and the UK government "at pace" on the "new set" of guidance. | The Scottish government's finance minister Shona Robison previously told BBC News the administration would work with the EHRC and the UK government "at pace" on the "new set" of guidance. |
| Women's campaigners celebrate with champagne outside the Supreme Court | Women's campaigners celebrate with champagne outside the Supreme Court |
| Campaigners who brought the case against the Scottish government hugged each other outside the Supreme Court after the ruling was made on Wednesday. | Campaigners who brought the case against the Scottish government hugged each other outside the Supreme Court after the ruling was made on Wednesday. |
| Speaking outside the Supreme Court following the ruling, For Women Scotland co-founder Susan Smith said: "Today the judges have said what we always believed to be the case, that women are protected by their biological sex. | Speaking outside the Supreme Court following the ruling, For Women Scotland co-founder Susan Smith said: "Today the judges have said what we always believed to be the case, that women are protected by their biological sex. |
| "Sex is real and women can now feel safe that services and spaces designated for women are for women and we are enormously grateful to the Supreme Court for this ruling." | "Sex is real and women can now feel safe that services and spaces designated for women are for women and we are enormously grateful to the Supreme Court for this ruling." |
| First Minister John Swinney said the Scottish government accepted the judgement. | First Minister John Swinney said the Scottish government accepted the judgement. |
| He said: "The ruling gives clarity between two relevant pieces of legislation passed at Westminster. | He said: "The ruling gives clarity between two relevant pieces of legislation passed at Westminster. |
| "We will now engage on the implications of the ruling." | "We will now engage on the implications of the ruling." |
| The Scottish government said ministers had acted "in good faith" during the legal proceedings. | The Scottish government said ministers had acted "in good faith" during the legal proceedings. |
| The UK government said the ruling would bring "clarity and confidence for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges, and sports clubs". | The UK government said the ruling would bring "clarity and confidence for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges, and sports clubs". |
| "Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this government," a spokesman added. | "Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this government," a spokesman added. |