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How to deal with your employer’s excuses
The law is clear but many employers are still denying women the privacy and dignity of female-only toilets and...
10th February 2026
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Changing rooms and toilets
How can you be sure that shared toilets or changing rooms that have a sign saying “women” are genuinely...
4th July 2025
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Workplace toilets and changing rooms
We explain the legislation on workplace toilets, changing rooms and washing facilities; whose job it is to make sure...
3rd July 2025
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Opportunities reserved for girls
Tell organisations that programmes and prizes for women and girls must be based on sex,
14th June 2025
The law is clear – so get on with it!
The Supreme Court judgment in the For Women Scotland case made it clear that in law, sex-based words refer to biology and not to identities, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission has provided practical guidance.
It’s time for organisations to get on with complying with the Equality Act, which protects everyone’s rights.
They need to adopt simple sex-based policies and make it clear that they expect people to follow them.
The law is clear…
… on toilets
Where a service is provided separately for men and women, this means biological sex.
Everyone should be expected to follow simple signs and rules.
… for schools
Schools need to know, record and refer to every child’s sex to keep them safe.
Schools must be clear that boys are male and girls are female.
… on sport
There is no requirement to include men in women’s sport at any level.
Sports organisations distributing public money must protect women’s sport.
… on freedom of belief
Employers and service providers must not discriminate against people for expressing the belief that sex matters.
There is no law against “misgendering”.
… on women’s rights
When an organisation takes action to meet the needs of women as a group, this means female people.
It doesn’t include men who identify as women.
Supreme Court judgment
The Supreme Court made its ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd (Appellant) v The Scottish Ministers (Respondent) on 16th April 2025.
Our online version of the judgment lets you move between sections and follow all the references.
Ben Cooper KC (who represented Sex Matters in our intervention in For Women Scotland) explains why duty bearers under the Equality Act must take action now.
His comprehensive legal analysis supports a simple, clear approach to operating single-sex and separate-sex services.
Take action now
Updates
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Update
What is in the new guidance?
The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s updated Code of practice for services, public functions and associations has finally been...
21st May 2026
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Update
What would good guidance look like?
Bridget Phillipson, the Minister for Women and Equalities, has promised to present the new Code of practice for services,...
19th May 2026
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Update
Sex and the City
Finance is a highly regulated sector where legal compliance is taken very seriously. A widespread impression that sexism and...
8th May 2026
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Update
Sex matters in local elections
On Thursday 7th May 2026, voters across Scotland, Wales and England will head to the polls in a major...
14th April 2026
In the media
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Ministers must not delay single-sex guidance
The Supreme Court ruling has made the law abundantly clear: sex-based rights must be protected, and Labour must not...
13th October 2025
Resources
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Are City employers breaking the law on single-sex toilets?
Our new report exposes widespread non-compliance
8th May 2026
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Publication
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Publication
Toilets, showers and changing rooms: what the law says (Easy Read)
An easy-read version of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s interim update for employers and service providers.
14th April 2026
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