A protest was held outside the Senedd in Cardiff Bay on the 1st of November after the Welsh government was accused of “defying” a Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of a woman. This comes from the #199DaysLater dispute where a decision was made for the ruling of “sex” to be referred to as biological sex in the Equality Act 2010. Protesters were calling out the government to fully implement the ruling, arguing that failing to do so undermines women’s rights and legal clarity. The protest not only took place in Cardiff, but was also organised across the UK. Protesters held signs that said “save single-sex spaces” and raised concerns over trans people in gendered public toilets. However, protests were disrupted by a counter protest that advocated for transgender rights.

Owen, who was an attendee to the protest that day, spoke to Gair Rhydd about his thoughts on the ruling and what it means for trans people now. “The protest had a wonderful sense of community on our side, but because the transphobes brought their own private security, it felt more aggressive from them than it would otherwise have done”. He stated that politicians and journalists have “failed the public strongly”. Many people, like Owen, feel that it is the same repetitive argument for trans rights and that the issue is swamped with misinformation and disinformation. “Anyone who has ever spent any real time with trans people knows that they are just the same as the rest of us; anyone who grew up queer living through the ubiquitous
homophobia of the 1980s and 1990s can see the same tired arguments and disinformation being repeated about trans people”. Owen shared how this new ruling has “real-life consequences, not just for trans people but for anyone who doesn’t conform to narrow views of gender presentation” and that “trans rights are clearly being treated like a political issue rather than a legal one”.

There are several concerns on how this new ruling could expose trans people to heightened risks, including exclusion from gendered spaces such as public toilets, and through increased discrimination in schools, workplaces and public life. The UK has seen a rise in hate crime against trans people and protests in recent years. According to Home Office data and reports from Stonewall, over the past five years, anti-trans hate crimes in the UK have nearly doubled, rising by 88%.

It’s clear that for many in attendance, the protest was an act of solidarity rooted in decades of queer activism. Owen noted that “if the Welsh government doesn’t change its approach, clearly protests will continue to be important, as will legal actions that have already started”.

The demonstration reflects a broader national debate over trans rights and the role of government in defining gender and access to public spaces. While opinions on the ruling remain sharply divided, the turnout highlighted the growing visibility of trans and queer voices in public discourse. With further legal and political developments expected in the months ahead, the issue is likely to remain a focal point in the conversation on equality and rights.