A recent YouGov poll commissioned by the campaign group Sex Matters has revealed strong public backing for the Supreme Court’s ruling on the legal definitions of “woman” and “sex” under the Equality Act 2010.
The April ruling, sparked by a legal challenge from For Women Scotland against the Scottish Government, concluded that these terms refer strictly to biological sex, not gender identity.
According to the survey of over 2,100 adults across Great Britain:
- 63% believe the Supreme Court made the right decision
- 52% say the ruling has made the law on women’s rights and its relevance to transgender individuals clearer
The numbers suggest the public is broadly aligned with the court’s interpretation.
Interestingly, while 13% of respondents think the decision will benefit them personally, and 6% say it will have a negative impact, the majority—77%—believe it won’t make a noticeable difference in their own lives.
The survey also explored attitudes towards transgender inclusion in sport and access to public facilities.
- 74% support moves by sports bodies to exclude transgender women from women’s competitions
- When it comes to toilet use:
- Around 20% believe transgender people should use whichever toilets they prefer
- Around 40% suggest using unisex facilities
- 20% think transgender women should use men’s toilets
- Only 14% said transgender women should use women’s toilets
- Opinions were evenly split (17%) on whether transgender men should use men’s or women’s toilets
These results point to a public leaning towards biological sex-based facility use, aligning with the Supreme Court’s judgment.
Following the court ruling, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden remarked that the “logical consequence of the judgment” is people using facilities that match their biological sex. However, he also clarified that there would be no active enforcement or “toilet police”.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued interim guidance stating that Trans women should not be permitted to use the women’s facilities and similarly, trans men should not use the men’s. A full code of practice is expected by June, pending ministerial approval.
The Good Law Project has initiated a legal challenge against the EHRC, arguing that its guidance is legally flawed.
Meanwhile, concerns persist among trans advocacy groups about the real-world effects of the ruling on the community.
Despite the backlash, For Women Scotland’s Susan Smith believes the tide of public opinion is turning.
“The more governments push gender identity ideology, the more failings are revealed which strengthens public opposition.”
She added: “For all the noise created by activists in recent weeks, this polling indicates that most people believe that women’s human rights matter and that the court acted correctly in determining that robust, clear definitions were critical to ensuring that lesbians, and gay men were not sacrificed or redefined in law.”
Maya Forstater, chief executive of Sex Matters, echoed this sentiment: “There is no justification for leaders to kick the can down the road by claiming ‘confusion’ and the need to wait for further guidance before the law can be implemented.”
With the EHRC set to finalise its guidance soon, and public opinion seemingly backing the court’s interpretation, the national conversation around gender identity, rights, and legal clarity continues to evolve. One thing is certain—this debate is far from over.
