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Monica Kurnatowska vs. transgender people

Monica Kurnatowska is a British solicitor and anti-transgender activist. Kurnatowska was an advisor to anti-trans group Sex Matters from 2022 to 2024, continuing to be affiliated after.

Background

Monica Ruth Kurnatowska was born in January 1963. Kurnatowska earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Essex in 1994 and a law degree from College of Law at London in 1995. Kurnatowska was called to the Bar for England & Wales in 1997. Kurnatowska joined Baker McKenzie in 1995 and resigned as a designated member of the firm in July 2025, while remaining on as a senior partner.

Anti-trans activism

In December 2021, Kurnatowska, Cathy Pitt, and Sam Bussey spoke at a Sex Matters event titled “Sex Matters in the City.”

In 2022, Kurnatowska was named as an advisor to Sex Matters. On that site’s profile, Kurnatowska stated:

“As a lifelong feminist I reject sexist stereotypes. Being a woman is not a feeling nor is it about the way someone looks or behaves. Sex is a biological fact which impacts the lives of women and girls – in particular in the context of healthcare, safeguarding fairness and safety in sport.”

In 2023, Kurnatowska signed an open letter by Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender to NHS chiefs urging “the importance of the word ‘woman’ in communication about women’s health.”

In 2025, Kurnatowska and Rebecca Bull published an article about “why the Supreme Court ruling on women-only spaces and services matters for construction employers.”

In 2026, Kurnatowska published a paper on single-sex facilities in the workplace, describing recent legal rulings as “controversy without clarity.”

References

Staff report (December 16, 2021). The business risk of misaligned D&I. Sex Matters https://sex-matters.org/posts/data-and-statistics/business-risk/

Selected writing by Kurnatowska

Kurnatowska, Monica (January 2026). Single-sex facilities in the workplace: controversy without clarity. https://www.bakermckenzie.com/-/media/files/insight/publications/2026/01/nb-single-sex-facilities-in-the-workplace-jan-feb-2026-with-copy.pdf

Kurnatowska, Monica; Mackay. Annabel; Brown, James (February 27, 2025). United Kingdom: Dismissal following expression of gender critical and marriage beliefs online was discriminatory. Global Compliance News – Baker McKenzie https://www.globalcompliancenews.com/2025/02/27/https-insightplus-bakermckenzie-com-bm-employment-compensation-united-kingdom-dismissal-following-expression-of-gender-critical-and-marriage-beliefs-online-was-discriminatory_02172025/

Kurnatowska, Monica; Bull, Rebecca (May 15, 2025). Why the Supreme Court ruling on women-only spaces and services matters for construction employers. Building https://www.building.co.uk/why-the-supreme-court-ruling-on-women-only-spaces-and-services-matters-for-construction-employers/5135847.article

Kurnatowska, Monica; Mackay. Annabel; Farr, Rachel (May 21, 2024). United Kingdom: Termination of contracts was because of social media storm, not religion or belief discrimination, rules EAT. Global Compliance News – Baker McKenzie https://www.globalcompliancenews.com/2024/05/21/https-insightplus-bakermckenzie-com-bm-employment-compensation-united-kingdom-termination-of-contracts-was-because-of-social-media-storm-not-religion-or-belief-discrimination-rules-eat_05082024/

Kurnatowska, Monica and signatories (February 23, 2023). Open Letter to NHS chiefs: The importance of the word “woman” in communication about women’s health. Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender https://can-sg.org/2023/02/23/open-letter-to-nhs-chiefs-the-importance-of-the-word-woman/

Kurnatowska, Monica; R., Evason, John M.; Brown, James M. (December 20, 2022). United Kingdom: 2022 case law on conflict of belief. Global Compliance News – Baker McKenzie https://www.globalcompliancenews.com/2022/12/20/https-insightplus-bakermckenzie-com-bm-employment-compensation-united-kingdom-2022-case-law-on-conflict-of-belief_1_112152022/

Resources

Sex Matters (sex-matters.org)

  • Monica Kurnatowska
  • sex-matters.org/about-us/advisory-group/monica-kurnatowska [archive]

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

Baker McKenzie (bakermckenzie.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

Association of British HealthTech Industries (AHBI) (abhi.org.uk)