LGBTQ+ advocates have criticized a government official for making “provocative and risky” remarks during a discussion on single-sex spaces. Seema Malhotra, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities, stated that individuals typically use common sense to address situations where a person of the opposite biological sex mistakenly enters a single-sex facility. This statement coincided with the release of updated guidance by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), affirming that single-sex services should be determined by biological sex.
The revised code, issued over a year after a significant Supreme Court ruling in April 2025, clarifies that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 pertain to biological characteristics. It covers various scenarios, such as sports competitions recommending that transgender individuals compete based on their birth sex rather than gender identity. It also addresses hospital settings, allowing exclusion of transgender patients in single-sex wards.
In response to Malhotra’s remarks, a spokesperson for Trans+ Solidarity Alliance expressed concern over the potential impact of her statements on challenging gender stereotypes and highlighted international condemnation of the UK’s approach to LGBTQ+ rights. Malhotra emphasized that trans individuals remain protected under the Equality Act 2010 and should not be deprived of necessary services.
The government’s stance on the draft Code has drawn criticism from a coalition of LGBTQ+ organizations, including TGEU, ILGA-Europe, and IGLYO. They argue that the Code may lead to adverse outcomes and assessments for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. The organizations demand answers from the UK government regarding the safety of trans people using services in the UK and advocate for the protection of LGBTQ+ rights without compromising them for political gains.