Transgender Woman from Gwynedd Plans to Leave Wales Following Supreme Court Ruling

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“I Don’t Feel Safe Anymore”: Gwynedd Trans Woman Reacts to Supreme Court Definition of Woman

Stacy Winson, a transgender woman from Gwynedd, has announced her intention to leave Wales after a recent Supreme Court ruling clarified the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act 2010. Ms Winson says the judgment makes her feel “unwelcome” in Wales and fears it could lead to an increase in hate crimes against transgender people.

The ruling, delivered last week by Lord Hodge, confirmed that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act refer to biological females. This decision marks the culmination of a long legal battle with significant implications for how sex-based rights are applied across Scotland, England, and Wales.

Ms Winson described the ruling as a devastating blow after living openly as transgender for over a decade:

“As soon as I heard, I started to cry. I knew straight away that it meant all my rights were gone. That using the toilet was gone, going to changing rooms, and the more I thought about it—the more upset I got—because I realised it meant I wouldn’t be able to go out for a night because I’d have to find a toilet and there wouldn’t be one available.”

She added:

“I just feel like I’m not welcome anymore. I feel like this place is supposed to be safe… Britain has always been somewhere with some LGBT rights, and I’ve lost all that overnight and I don’t feel safe.”

Ms Winson and her partner now plan to move abroad to a European country she believes is more supportive of transgender people.

The ruling has been welcomed by women’s rights campaigners. Cathy Larkman, Director of the Wales Women’s Rights Network, said:

“This is a huge ruling for women. The law is no longer open to misinterpretation. This is how the law has always been.”

She warned that lobbying groups and some public bodies had previously misapplied the law, leading to unlawful internal policy changes that will now have to be reversed.

Larkman emphasized:

“This is a women’s rights issue and the outcome should not be something women have to deal with. We should all think about the women who have to deal with this issue in terms of their privacy, dignity, and safety.”

Lord Hodge stressed that the Equality Act still protects transgender people from discrimination based on gender reassignment, stating:

“The legislation provides protection for transgender people, not only from discrimination through the protected characteristic of gender reassignment but also against direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, and harassment related to their reassigned gender.”

Retired judge Niclas Parry said the ruling provides much-needed legal clarity:

“The best law is clear law that leaves no questions. This judgment has defined what a woman is, and in the world beyond that, that has been a big problem.”

When asked about concerns raised by groups like the Wales Women’s Rights Network, Ms Winson acknowledged the worries of many women but felt the ruling was wrong:

“I understand there is concern that some people might misuse being transgender to access women’s toilets and do things they shouldn’t, but it has also banished people like me from places where I feel scared [such as men’s toilets].”

She added:

“It’s so frustrating because they are trying to make themselves safe, and I understand that 100%, but this ruling has made other people less safe.”

Ms Winson also expressed doubt about the value of her Gender Recognition Certificate, saying:

“I don’t think my Gender Recognition Certificate is worth the paper it’s written on anymore.”

The Supreme Court’s decision has sparked a complex debate across Wales about balancing the rights and safety of transgender people and women, highlighting ongoing challenges in equality law and social inclusion.