For Women Scotland is a Scottish anti-transgender pressure group.
In April 2025, a legal process started by For Women Scotland resulted in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom unanimously ruling that “the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex.”
Background
For Women Scotland was founded in 2018 in response to the Scottish Government’s proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act.
It was registered as a not-for-profit company in July 2020 (Company number: SC669393).
Directors
- Trina Budge
- Marion Calder
- Susan Smith
Their accountant is Marion Millar.
Anti-transgender activism
For Women Scotland has been active in responding to legislative consultations and judicial reviews. In February 2022, it won a judicial review at the Court of Session on the Scottish Government’s guidance relating to the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018, finding the government had exceeded its powers in its interpretation.
For Women Scotland brought a case to the UK Supreme Court that was heard in November 2024 and decided in April 2025. The Supreme Court ruled that under the Equality Act 2010 the term “woman” refers to biological sex, a judgment with significant legal implications for sex-based rights legislation.
The group has continued its activities into 2025 and 2026, including follow-on legal actions and advocacy related to the 2025 court ruling.
References
Lamble, Sarah (2024). Confronting complex alliances: Situating Britain’s gender critical politics within the wider transnational anti-gender movement. Journal of Lesbian Studies. 28 (3): 504–517. https://doi.org/10.1080/10894160.2024.2356496
Duffy, Sandra (2025). Moral panics and legal projects: echoes of Section 28 in United Kingdom transgender discourse and law reform. Gender and Justice. 1 (1): 78–99. https://doi.org/10.1332/30333660Y2024D000000008
Perry, Sophie (16 April 2025). ‘We’ll get through this together’: Reactions to Supreme Court’s trans ruling. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/16/supreme-court-ruling-reaction-trans/
Tobin, Sam; Holden, Michael (April 16, 2025). UK’s top court says legal definition of woman refers to biological sex. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-highest-court-rule-definition-woman-under-equality-laws-2025-04-15/
Burga, Solcyré (16 April 2025). What to Know About the U.K. Supreme Court Transgender Ruling. TIME https://time.com/7278363/what-to-know-uk-supreme-court-transgender-women-ruling/
Robin Moira White (27 November 2024). The Supreme Court hearing on what a ‘woman’ is is an existential attack on trans people like me. The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/voices/for-women-scotland-anti-trans-rights-b2654578.html
Wakefield, Lily (September 3, 2021). Scottish anti-trans group’s bid to block to trans inclusion. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/03/23/for-women-scotland-supreme-court-gender-representation-public-boards-act/
Pedersen, Sarah (2022). They’ve got an absolute army of women behind them: the formation of a women’s cooperative constellation in contemporary Scotland. Scottish Affairs. 31: 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3366/scot.2022.0394
Wakefield, Lily (March 23, 2021). Anti-trans protesters wearing suffragette colours boo Nicola Sturgeon without a hint of irony”. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/03/nicola-sturgeon-anti-trans-protest-suffragette-holyrood-edinburgh/
Powys Maurice, Emma (23 August 2021). Pub manager targeted by sick trolls after calling police on anti-trans group. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/08/23/i-stand-with-meb-trans-pub-manager/
Anti-trans coverage
PA Media (August 17, 2025). Scottish ministers face legal action over policies ‘inconsistent’ with UK gender ruling. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/aug/17/scotland-government-legal-action-uk-supreme-court-gender-ruling
Freeman, Hadley; Urwin, Rosamund; Yorke, Harry; Turvill, William; Hauschild, Dominic (April 20, 2025). Supreme Court victors getting death threats in gender ruling backlash. The Sunday Times https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/women-threatened-statues-defaced-supreme-court-trans-mwv6dvpz2
Fowles, Sam (April 16, 2025). The supreme court didn’t rule on the definition of ‘a woman’ – this is what its judgment does mean. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/16/supreme-court-definition-woman-judges-law
Dearden, Lizzie (April 16, 2025). U.K. Top Court Says Trans Women Are Not Legally Women Under Equality Act. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/world/europe/uk-supreme-court-woman-definition-trans.html
Freeman, Hadley (April 19, 2025). We’re bloody-minded, not bigots: the women who changed gender law. The Sunday Times https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/uk-mums-supreme-court-gender-ruling-women-c0srwt565
Wade, Mike (November 23, 2024). Meet the Scottish women taking the gender battle to Britain’s highest court. The Sunday Times https://web.archive.org/web/20250424212957/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/meet-the-scottish-women-taking-the-gender-battle-to-britains-highest-court-wp5jdmj8h
Rhodes, Mandy (March 12, 2024). The women who wouldn’t wheesht: For Women Scotland on gender reform. Holyrood https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,the-women-who-wouldnt-wheesht
Sanderson, Daniel (February 18, 2024). JK Rowling donates £70k to challenge ruling that men can become women. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/18/jk-rowlings-70k-to-challenge-ruling-men-can-become-women/
Watson, Jeremy (February 17, 2024). JK Rowling donates £70k for legal challenge on defining a woman. The Times https://web.archive.org/web/20250427054207/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/jk-rowling-donates-70k-for-legal-challenge-on-defining-a-woman-73tkvwq0b
Hunter, Ross (February 16, 2024). Scottish row over definition of ‘woman’ to head to Supreme Court. The National https://www.thenational.scot/news/24125114.scottish-row-definition-woman-head-supreme-court/
McKay, Gabriel (February 16, 2024). Supreme Court to hear appeal over definition of ‘woman.’ Herald Scotland https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24125862.supreme-court-hear-appeal-definition-woman/
Rowling, J. K. (October 16, 2022). “JK Rowling: Sturgeon is deaf to women’s concerns over gender ID. The Sunday Times https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/jk-rowling-nicola-sturgeon-is-deaf-to-women-s-concerns-over-gender-id-tn03x6gjv
Stephens, Max (October 9, 2022). JK Rowling calls Nicola Sturgeon a ‘destroyer of women’s rights.’ The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/10/06/jk-rowling-nicola-sturgeon-destroyer-womens-rights/
Staff report (July 22, 2022). Second judicial review brought against Scottish government over definition of ‘woman.’ Scottish Legal News https://www.scottishlegal.com/articles/second-judicial-review-brought-against-scottish-government-over-definition-of-woman
Mulholland, James (February 19, 2022). Ministers lose bid to redefine ‘woman’ for the boardroom. The Times https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/ministers-lose-bid-to-redefine-woman-for-the-boardroom-r55zdth02
Rodger, Hannah (December 11, 2021). “Equality campaigners to give evidence in landmark gender court case. Herald Scotland https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18939324.equality-campaigners-give-evidence-landmark-gender-court-case/
Horne, Marc (November 24, 2021). JK Rowling hails For Women Scotland in trans row. The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jk-rowling-hails-for-women-scotland-in-trans-row-cbtm3m3z3
Gordon, Tom (September 2, 2021). Sturgeon booed by Holyrood demo for ‘ignoring women’s rights.’ Herald Scotland https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19554065.sturgeon-booed-holyrood-demo-ignoring-womens-rights/
Johnson, Simon (August 23, 2021). Nicola Sturgeon facing backlash over proposed gender legislation. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/08/23/nicola-sturgeon-facing-backlash-proposed-gender-legislation/
Paciaroni, Sara (July 20, 2021). Women Won’t Wheesht: protesters in Glasgow Green are joined by comedy writer Graham Linehan. Herald Scotland https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19456688.women-wont-wheesht-protesters-glasgow-green-joined-comedy-writer-graham-linehan/
Leask, David (July 10, 2021). Feminists’ legal appeal against trans women being called women. The Times https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/feminists-legal-appeal-against-trans-women-being-called-women-7vvpnjnrc
Hind, Sally (March 10 2021). Hate crime law changes- a tool to persecute women or create respect for all? Daily Record https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/hate-crime-law-changes-tool-23649195
Rodger, Hannah (November 24, 2020). Equality campaigners challenge ‘hurtful and pointless’ legal case against Scottish Government. Herald Scotland https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18894523.equality-campaigners-challenge-hurtful-pointless-legal-case-scottish-government/
Hyland, Jennifer (September 6, 2020). Women’s rights campaigners ‘living in fear of trans attack’ after vile abuse directed at group. Daily Record https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/womens-rights-campaigners-living-fear-22635235
Brooks, Libby (February 1, 2019). Scottish feminist group says transgender laws risk women’s rights. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/feb/01/activists-in-scotland-disagree-about-transgender-legislation
Resources
For Women Scotland (forwomen.scot)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
UK Companies House (find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk)
- For Women Scotland
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC669393