The Federal Court of Australia has ruled that a women-only social media platform unlawfully discriminated against a transgender woman by banning her from the app. The court increased the damages awarded to Roxanne Tickle from £5,361 to £10,722 and ordered the platform to pay legal costs of £26,805.
The case, believed to be the first gender-identity discrimination matter to reach the federal court since 2013, centred on Giggle for Girls, a women-only social networking app launched in 2020 by Australian writer Sall Grover. The app used facial recognition software to assess whether applicants appeared female before granting access.
The court upheld a 2024 ruling that the app indirectly discriminated against Tickle by blocking her access in 2021 after determining she appeared male. Judges found two instances of direct discrimination: exclusion based on gender-related appearance and refusal of readmission. The court rejected Grover's argument that the app qualified as a 'special measure' under the Sex Discrimination Act.
Tickle, who has lived as a woman since 2017 and undergone gender-affirming surgery, said she hoped the ruling would help 'trans and gender diverse people and their loved ones to heal'. She added that she had faced hostility since beginning gender affirmation but believed most Australians are kind and support dignity for all.
