The National Federation of Women’s Institutes will bar trans women from membership starting April 2026, following a UK Supreme Court ruling defining sex as biological sex under the 2010 Equality Act. The decision comes after updated guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission recommended excluding trans people from certain single-sex spaces. At least 12 WI branches, including Manchester, have closed or face closure. The National Federation of Women’s Institutes says it will create new “Sisterhood groups,” open to all. The news comes as the Victoria-based Lesbian Action Group appeals a Human Rights Commission ruling that says the group could not legally exclude transgender women from public gatherings. A tribunal previously found that excluding trans women could negatively impact their well-being.
