Women’s rights campaigners are appealing a judgment stating that the Scottish Government can adopt a redefinition of “woman” to include men who identify as female.
In March, Court of Session judge Lady Wise stated that the Government was legally permitted to class men as female in a law designed to address the number of women on public boards.
For Women Scotland (FWS) is now appealing the ruling and a full hearing is expected later this year.
‘Undermines’
The group had launched a judicial review of the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 last year.
If this act remains unchallenged it undermines women’s rights
FWS Director Trina Budge said: “The Gender Recognition on Public Boards Act redefines ‘woman’ as something that males can ‘live as’, and that some females cannot.
“If this act remains unchallenged it undermines women’s rights in the Equality Act and will become the basis of future policies and laws by the Scottish government.”
Victory
Last month, a former tax consultant who lost her job for defending biological sex won her appeal.
In 2019, Maya Forstater’s contract was not renewed after she tweeted that biology determines whether people are male or female. An employment tribunal ruled that she had not been treated unlawfully as ‘gender critical’ beliefs were not protected by equality law.
But on appeal, Mr Justice Choudhury declared that the tribunal was in error and that Forstater’s beliefs are protected under the Equality Act 2010.
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