3 days ago
Virgin Active bans trans women from female changing rooms
The landmark ruling was unanimous and found that 'sex' in legislation refers to biological sex, and must not be broadened to include transgender people with a gender recognition certificate.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is also set to confirm in its final guidance, which will be submitted to ministers in the next few weeks, that public bodies will have to exclude transgender women from female-only spaces.
The guidance will apply to any organisation that provides a service to the public, including schools, hospitals, prisons, gyms and shops.
'Male' or 'female'
Virgin Active, which is owned by Sir Richard Branson, has 1.2 million members worldwide. However, it is understood that the changes will only come into play in the United Kingdom.
Their email to members today said that they are 'awaiting further detailed guidance from the EHRC' to help them operationalise the policy change.
Section 8 of the Virgin Active Club Rules currently states that 'By law, our members and visitors who use a changing room marked as 'male' or 'female' must select the one that matches their biological sex.'
Trans rights activists have vowed to 'fight' guidance from the EHRC that they cannot use the lavatories and changing rooms of their preferred gender.
'Violating'
Sophie Molly, a trans rights activist, previously called on supporters not to comply with the guidelines, saying she was prepared to be arrested 'multiple times'.
The new rules will also allow bodies to prevent transgender women from taking part in women's sports.
The advice is in line with interim guidance published by the commission in April, just days after the landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Meanwhile, the Good Law Project, led by activist lawyer Jolyon Maugham, is taking the commission to court, accusing it of 'violating' trans people's rights to privacy.
