From soccer fields to banks, trans bans are spreading across the UK

Transgender women in the UK are facing new restrictions and outright bans from participating in women's sports to using bathrooms that match their gender identity

LGBTQ plus advocacy groups now saying an April Supreme Court decision could lead to a blanket ban affecting trans people across the country

The case focused on the Nation's Equality Act of 2010 on whether a trans woman with a gender

recognition certificate, a legal document recognizing gender change, is protected as a

woman under the Equality Act. The court said no, ruling unanimously that the law applies to

biological sex only. The ruling means that even if a transgender person has legally changed their

gender, they may not be treated as their identified gender under some parts of the Equality Act

The Equality and Human Rights Commission says the decision clears up legal confusion and will make

it easier to enforce protections for women and gay people, especially in maintaining single-sex

spaces. The EHRC released guidelines following the decision, saying they are updating their

policies but for now a trans woman is to be considered a biological male and a trans man is a biological woman With that being said the Equality Rights Watchdog Group said bathrooms designated for women

cannot be used by trans women. The decision has also prompted changes from companies like

Barclays Bank, which will now restrict access to women's bathrooms based on biological sex

In a similar change, the Football Association announced it will ban trans women from women's

football in England starting in June. The F.A. says although trans women were originally included

they are no longer allowed on the football field. But LGBTQ plus advocacy groups

including GLAAD and the Good Law Project, say the ruling is discriminatory. They argue it could

lead to humiliation, restrictions and safety risks for trans people in day-to-day life

The Good Law Project is now raising funds to launch a legal challenge, alleging the court

fail to consider the human rights implications or hear from trans people directly affected

The nonprofit legal organization says this is no small undertaking, but for the trans community

in Britain, it is literally crucial. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kaylee Carey

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