On 21 April, over a thousand campaigners gathered in Cardiff city centre to protest against a recent Supreme Court ruling concerning the legal definition of a woman. The event, known as the trans liberation march, saw demonstrators rallying with flags, banners, horns, and speakers, voicing their opposition to a decision they view as a significant setback for transgender rights.
The Supreme Court had ruled the previous week that the terms "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 refer strictly to biological women and biological sex. The interpretation has sparked a divided response across the UK, with some regarding it as a step back in efforts to promote equality and others welcoming it as a reflection of common sense.
This legal decision originated from a challenge brought by the Scottish group For Women Scotland (FWS). The group contested an act passed by the Scottish parliament aimed at achieving gender balance on public boards; a contentious element of the legislation included transgender women within the definition of women for the purposes of the law.
Organised by Trans Aid Cymru and Cardiff Trans Pride, the march commenced at the Aneurin Bevan statue on Queen Street and concluded at Central Square. Participants expressed solidarity and pride as they moved through the city centre.
Several individuals shared their perspectives with WalesOnline during the event. Matthew Lynass, who identifies as "transmasculine," explained his motivation for attending: "I've come today because as soon as the news came out I was immediately scared for what this meant for my future and for my community. We just want an existence where we can be left unbothered and alone and safe and this immediately threatens that." He also highlighted the broader impact of the ruling, saying, "It's clearly an attack directly towards trans women but that doesn't mean it's not going to affect all women and all of the trans community."
Louise Jay, a cisgender woman attending alongside Matthew, commented on how she perceives the legislation: "I feel like a lot of this movement against trans people is done on my behalf and supposed to help me in some way but this new change of legislation doesn't help me at all and it almost feels like it hurts women more."
Another attendee, Aimee Lewis, who was heavily pregnant during the demonstration, described the ruling as "insanity" and expressed concern about possible consequences. She questioned the treatment of transgender individuals in medical and law enforcement contexts, asking, "Are we going to be expected to have genital inspections to enter bathrooms? Are we expected to have our original birth certificates to enter bathrooms?"
Stuart Boltershone, attending with his husband Paul, underscored the importance of solidarity within the LGBT community. He stated, "It's really important that the entire LGBT community stick with the T because they are family, they are community... If it wasn't for the trans community, gay rights never would've started in the beginning so now it's our turn to protect them." Stuart added, "I will support biological women to my dying breath and trans women are women."
Non-binary attendee Alex voiced concerns about the broader implications of the ruling, saying, "I know this also affects me as it also affects every trans, intersex and non-binary people, and even cis women with certain health conditions that are gonna make them appear more masculine." Their friend Sadie emphasised support for the transgender and non-binary community, stating, "The Supreme Court has just really messed up in its decisions and it's going to bite them in the behind."
Victoria Folques, carrying a sign reading "Trans women are women," expressed her shock, saying, "It's supposed to be a progressive country with diversity and welcoming everybody but this is not welcoming." Her companion Vilius added, "We need to stand up for the part of the community which is being discriminated and I think we need to raise awareness and show that we're not happy with the decision which has been made by the Supreme Court."
Sarah May summarised the sentiment of many protesters, saying, "The Supreme Court judgement was absolutely shocking, both because of the content of the judgement and also because of the fact no trans people were involved in any of the judgement which is totally unacceptable to have people's rights taken away without any representation."
The demonstration in Cardiff reflects ongoing public debate regarding gender identity and legal recognition across the UK, with activists seeking to uphold rights for transgender individuals while the legal system continues to interpret relevant legislation.
Source: Noah Wire Services