This ruling goes beyond what For Women Scotland had hoped forpublished at 10:55 British Summer Time
Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent, at the Supreme Court
The judges stressed that this ruling should not be read
as a triumph for one group in society over another, but For Women Scotland were
clearly the ones celebrating their win.
There were tears and hugs in the courtroom, then a bottle
of champagne was cracked open outside.
This ruling goes beyond what they had hoped for – it is an
unambiguous statement from the court that sex-based rights under the Equality
Act are based on biological sex.
It’s important to stress that this does not wipe away
protections for trans people; the characteristic of gender reassignment remains
in place.
But this is a landmark moment in the gender debate. And
it’s one which the campaigners are going to use to press the government over
its wider policies and guidance. There will inevitably be questions for
Scottish ministers, who have lost in the highest court in the land.
Having completed its six-year journey through the legal
arena, this often-contentious debate is heading back into the political one.
