Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson has condemned the "deeply unpleasant targeting" of transgender people, defending the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) updated guidance on single-sex spaces as "the right place to be." Speaking to the Women and Equalities Committee on Wednesday, she acknowledged that the guidance would not satisfy everyone and anticipated continued debate, legal challenges, and scrutiny.
EHRC Guidance Clarifies Single-Sex Spaces Based on Biological Sex
The EHRC's revised code, released last month, clarifies that for a service to be classified as single-sex under the Equality Act, it must be accessed on the basis of biological sex, following a Supreme Court ruling in 2025. This means single-sex toilets, changing rooms, hospital wards, and refuges must be accessed based on a person's birth sex, not their gender identity. Ms Phillipson reiterated that the code provides clarity for service providers such as gyms, leisure centres, and cafes.
She told MPs: "The EHRC wanted to be confident that the draft code that they were bringing forward provided everyone with what they needed, and I believe that the position that we have arrived at – whilst I understand, you know, will not satisfy everyone in terms of what it offers – I believe is the right place to be, and that is why I laid the code on behalf of the Government."
Legal Challenges and Concerns from Voluntary Groups
The minister acknowledged that "because this is a very contested space, there will continue to be further debate, challenge, scrutiny, legal challenge," adding that this would have been the case regardless of the code's content. She was questioned by committee member Kim Leadbeater about concerns over the financial and wider consequences of legal battles, or "lawfare," on organisations like Girlguiding, the Women's Institute, and Parkrun.
Earlier this month, Parkrun founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt revealed that the "most obvious challenge" the charity faces is the "gender, sex debate." He said they had "a team of people looking at it" and expressed hope that they could navigate the issue without damaging inclusivity or alienating any part of the community. Ms Phillipson said she appreciates that smaller organisations without substantial budgets may find this area "difficult," but believes the draft code "provides for what is needed across the protected characteristics."
Balancing Rights of Women and Trans People
Ms Phillipson voiced her hope that progress can be made based on the published code. She stated she does not want trans people "to be constantly pilloried on social media for being who they are and wanting to live the lives that they want to lead," while also wanting women "to be able to access the services and service providers to be able to deliver the services that they believe are necessary on a single-sex basis for women who have experienced male violence." She added: "I don't think those two things ought to be in conflict. My belief has always been that we can deliver appropriate single-sex services, whether that's rape crisis, women's refuges, good access to sporting activity for girls, without that meaning that we have to engage in what has become, I think, deeply unpleasant targeting of people who simply wish to live their lives without causing any harm to anyone else."
Political Opposition and Early Day Motion
Campaign group Trans+ Solidarity Alliance previously revealed that more than 100 MPs had signed an early day motion (EDM) to reject the code, branding it "unjust, unworkable and unacceptable." The group stated: "We hope this shows the strength of feeling on this in Parliament and that it helps force a rethink on trans equality." An EDM can be tabled by MPs to spotlight opposition but does not automatically trigger a debate or vote.
