Supreme Court judges consider ruling on definition of a woman

Ms Crawford told the court the UK Parliament had GRA “in mind” when passing the 2010 Equality Act.

The lawyer told the court the GRA ensured “a person who has become the sex of their acquired gender is entitled to the protections of that sex”, including protection against unfavourable treatment as an individual or a group.

Ms Crawford said someone who had acquired status as a women using a gender recognition certificate was entitled to protections under the Equality Act just as those who were women at birth were.

She also said a woman who had a gender recognition certificate to become a man no longer belonged to their previous sex, and would lose protections offered under the Equality Act.

She countered claims from Mr O’Neill that a gender certificate was a “legal fiction” or of merely symbolic value.

She described it as a “fundamental right” similar to adoption, telling the court a gender recognition certificate affected an individual’s relationship with the state, and with private organisations such as employers.