Sex matters in life and in law.
It shouldn’t take courage to say so.

Information Commissioner strikes down secrecy of Stonewall scheme

The Information Commissioner has ordered the University of Oxford to disclose the scores and feedback it received from Stonewall as part of the lobby group’s controversial Workplace Equality Index scheme. Following a Freedom of Information appeal undertaken as part of the “Don’t Submit to...

Who is Edward Lord?

Can a person who accuses everyone who disagrees with radical gender ideology of “transphobia” be the right person to hear a case about discrimination for gender-critical belief?

Sex Matters response to “More in Common”

More in Common is an organisation that seeks to “build societies and communities that are “stronger, more united, and more resilient to the increasing threats of polarisation and social division”. Perhaps as a response to this challenge from Maya Forstater, it has applied its...

Conversion therapy? Differential diagnosis? Gender exploratory therapy?

What is conversion therapy?

Stella O’Malley of Genspect explains… “Gay conversion therapy” is the term given to attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation from gay to straight. This includes demeaning and painful practices such as electric shocks, forced watching of pornography and, in extreme cases, “corrective rape”....

Will Scotland’s proposed self-ID law increase trans unemployment?

Sex self-ID in Scotland and transgender unemployment

The Gender Recognition Act 2004 was an extraordinary piece of legislation intended for an extraordinary group of people. It was passed to allow people who had transitioned under medical supervision to change the legal sex recorded on their birth certificate “for all purposes”. ...

Gender-critical: your rights at work

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from being discriminated against at work because they have gender-critical beliefs. Employers need to understand that they have a responsibility to protect their gender-critical employees from discrimination and harassment. Raise awareness of your rights at work 1. Download...

Let your MP know the facts

MPs are coming under intense pressure to support the campaign to “ban conversion therapy”. It is important that they hear the facts: There is no evidence that abusive conversion practice is happening in the UK that is not already illegal. Gender distress and sexual...

Send our guidance to your child's school

Send our guidance to your school

Sex Matters and Transgender Trend have published new guidance on the Equality Act for schools in England. It is designed to help schools set clear, fair policies in relation to girls and boys, including pupils experiencing gender distress. It includes guidance on: admissions protection...

People deserve respect, but ideas do not. We need to be able to speak the truth about sex to protect everybody's rights, and hold institutions to account.

Maya Forstater, Sex Matters Co-Founder

For rights to be respected in a democratic society it must be possible to debate them, exercise them and advocate for their implementation.

Rebecca Bull, Sex Matters Co-Founder

The law can't change the material reality of sex. Pretending it can causes real harms, and liabilities.

Naomi Cunningham, Sex Matters Co-Founder

The words male and female have a very clear biological meaning, not up for postmodern deconstruction. They do not refer to social categories, but to human anatomy.

Emma Hilton, Sex Matters Co-Founder

Clarity about sex is crucial for safeguarding everybody’s human rights.

We are campaigning to establish that sex matters in rules, laws, policies, language and culture. We aim to:

1

Establish clarity on single sex services
2

Enable people to speak up
3

Make debate possible

What we do

We lobby for clarity on sex in law and institutions.
We publish research, guidance and analysis.
We support and mobilise people to speak up.
We hold organisations accountable.

Our principles

Reality

There are two sexes: female and male. People shouldn’t be afraid to say this.
Clarity

Organisations and governments should be clear about the sexes and where sex matters.
Human rights

Everybody’s human rights matter, including private life, freedom of beliefs and speech.
Democracy

A cohesive society depends on open debate and evidence-based policy making.

Latest updates

Information Commissioner strikes down secrecy of Stonewall scheme

The Information Commissioner has ordered the University of Oxford to disclose the scores and feedback it received from Stonewall...

1st July 2022
Male and female in the Equality Act

Last week Old Square Chambers hosted a seminar about single-sex services and the law. Barristers Nicola Newbegin and Robin Moira...

21st June 2022
Who is Edward Lord?

Can a person who accuses everyone who disagrees with radical gender ideology of “transphobia” be the right person to...

20th June 2022
Sex Matters response to “More in Common”

More in Common is an organisation that seeks to “build societies and communities that are “stronger, more united, and...

16th June 2022