The first trans woman to appear on Married at First Sight UK has voiced her concern that the Supreme Court’s ruling that transgender women are not legally women will be used as an “excuse” to attack the community even more.
On Wednesday, UK Supreme Court judges decided unanimously that Equality Act’s definition of a woman is based on biological sex.- meaning transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) are not considered legally women.
The decision could have wide-ranging consequences for trans women’s rights, including potentially being excluded from services and spaces meant for women.
Ella Morgan, a TV personality and trans campaigner said she was “speechless” when she saw the court’s decision.
“I woke up today and saw my rights as a human being have been taken away,” she told The Independent.
“Since I’ve been in the public eye, I’ve never been scared, but today was the first time I am worried for me and other trans people.”
Ms Morgan, who was the first trans woman to appear on Channel 4’s Married at First Sight UK added she was worried the ruling would be used as an “excuse” by some to abuse trans people “more than they already do”, calling the decision “an attack on trans women and their existence.”
She said: “I don’t know how some people will sleep at night when trans people are murdered, assaulted and brutally attacked because of this [ruling].”
Ms Morgan also said she was concerned what the implications of the decision could be on her access to women’s spaces - for example whether she would now be admitted to a female ward in hospital.
However, Ms Morgan said the ruling will not “scare us away” and added: “If people think implementing laws will eradicate trans women, they are wrong.
“We have always existed and will always exist, this will never scare us away and if anything our fight will be stronger.”
Trans rights groups have reacted with dismay to Wednesday’s ruling, warning that it will “exclude trans people wholesale from participating in UK society”.
Transgender rights campaign group TransLucent said: “Many in the trans community will be extremely worried by this decision and its implications”.
“We would like to reassure them that they are still protected from discrimination, victimisation and harassment because of their protected characteristic of gender reassignment,” they added in a statement.
The Supreme Court ruling means that transgender women with a GRC can be excluded from single-sex spaces if “proportionate”.
Officials have confirmed the NHS is now looking at updating its official guidance on same-sex wards to reflect the ruling, which currently says trans people “should be accommodated according to their presentation: the way they dress, and the name and pronouns they currently use”.
