The UK Supreme Court ruling on women and sex has prompted huge anxiety and concern for trans, non-binary and gender questioning (TNBGQ) people and their futures.
People have questions about how this ruling will impact them, their lives, and their therapeutic practice or experience as a therapy client, counselling student or supervisee.
Support for the trans community
We want to offer our support to the TNBGQ community, not just at this incredibly difficult time, but to let you know we stand alongside you always.
We aim to be a fully inclusive membership body and charity for all TNBGQ people.
We’re committed to serving TNBGQ communities to the best of our ability, considering lived experience with the aim of removing barriers, and developing improved services, guidance and resources.
Gender and experiences of gender are diverse. Everyone’s experience of gender is valid and should be respected.
What the judges ruled
The UK Supreme Court judges ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. They said the legal definition of a woman in the Equality Act 2010 did not include transgender women who hold gender recognition certificates. This means they don’t have the right to use spaces or services designated as women-only.
Trans and non-binary people continue to be protected from discrimination, harassment and victimisation under equality legislation.
We’re looking into how this impacts our guidance for members
The ruling has prompted questions from our members on how this affects their practice.
We’re looking into how this ruling impacts our guidance and support to members.
We need time to fully understand the implications of this and to consult with legal professionals, experts and those with lived experience, before we can offer clarity and confirm any steps we’ll be taking in response to this ruling.
We know that every member will bring with them their own characteristics, unique lived experiences and intersectionality. With it being so large, our membership will hold many different beliefs and opinions.
Client-led approach
A client-led approach must always prevail and personal views shouldn’t interfere with a member’s client work. We highlight this in the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.
We must ensure that as a profession we listen to each other, respect one another, practise inclusivity and cause no harm. We will not tolerate discrimination, prejudice or bias of any kind. This includes, but is not limited to, racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia and antisemitism.