UK court rules equality law defines a woman based on ‘biological sex’

The UK Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the definition of a woman under the country’s equality laws is limited to people with a female “biological sex,” a decision that comes amid intense public debate over transgender women’s inclusion in women’s spaces.

The unanimous decision means that trans women do not fall within the definition of a woman under the 2010 Equality Act. The court stressed that trans people still have legal protections under the act, and said that the ruling was not a victory for one side over the other.

While the judgement clarified a disputed piece of law, the BBC wrote, the implications for government policy, as well as the real-world implications, remain unclear, adding that the issue could “move out of the legal arena and back into the political one.”