Supreme Court to announce ruling on definition of a woman

The Supreme Court must issue its verdict on how a woman must be defined in the law.

The announcement marks the culmination of a long -standing legal battle between the Scottish government and a group of women.

The result could have high scope implications on how sexual rights are applied in Scotland, England and Wales.

The Scottish government argues that transgender people with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) are entitled to sex -based protections, while for women Scotland argues that they only apply to people born female.

The ruling is expected to be announced around 09:45, establishes how the law should keep transgender people.

It could affect single -sex spaces and services, as well as claims for salary equality, maternity policy and sporting events.

Legal arguments have arrived at a time of heated debate on gender issues.

The Supreme Court is deciding on the proper interpretation of the 2010 Equality Law, which is applied in Britain.

The law provides protection against discrimination based on various characteristics, including “sex” and “gender reallocation”.

Judges in London are ruling what that law means by “sex”, whether biological or legal sex “certified” as defined by the 2004 gender recognition law.

The Scottish government says that Legilation 2004 is clear that obtaining a GRC is equivalent to a sex change “for all purposes.”

The government lawyer, Ruth Crawford Kc, told the Court that “a person who has become the sex of their acquired gender is entitled to the protections of that sex.”

Aidan O’Neill KC, which represents Scotland women, defends a meaning of “common sense” of men and women, telling the court that sex is an “immutable biological state.”

The legal dispute was in 2018, when the Scottish Parliament approved a bill designed to guarantee gender balance in the public sector boards.

For women, Scotland complained that the ministers had included transgender people as part of the quotas in that law.

After several cases in the Scottish courts, the issue has been sent to the Supreme Court in London for a final ruling.

For women, Scotland warned that if the Court stands with the Government, it would have implications for the functioning of single -sex spaces and services, such as hospitals, prisons, shelters and support groups.

Transgender people have warned that the case could erode the protections that have an aging discrimination in their reallocated kind.

Amnesty International has said that since the Equality Law protects other minority groups, the case could be the “thin end of the wedge” that could undermine other rights.

The Commission for Equality and Human Rights, the regulator in charge of enforcing the 2010 law, has requested a legal reform as a result of the case.

The Scottish Parliament approved reforms in 2022 that would have provided some to change their legally recognized sex.

The measure was blocked by the United Kingdom government and has extended the bone fallen by the Holyrood ministers.