A group of trans women staged a topless protest outside the Scottish Parliament, condemning both a UK Supreme Court ruling that defines “sex” as biological and the Scottish government’s response to it.
Standing with red-painted arms, tape across their mouths, and holding white roses symbolising the “death of transgender rights in the UK”, the women called the demonstration an act of “grief, resistance and solidarity”. The red arms, they explained, referenced anti-fascist feminist movements across Europe, while the tape and roses represented the silencing and mourning of trans voices.
The protest that took place on 17 May followed the UK Supreme Court’s decision in For Women Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers, which ruled that the term “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act refers strictly to biological sex, excluding transgender people from the legal protections afforded to their gender identity. The 88-page judgement is expected to significantly impact trans rights, particularly around access to single-sex spaces, and may force institutions to alter inclusion and equality policies.
In response, the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued interim guidance that facilities designated as male or female should only be accessed based on biological sex. This guidance further suggested that, under certain conditions, trans women could be banned from both male and female spaces, and likewise for trans men.
In alignment with the court’s judgement, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (which oversees facilities at Holyrood) decided that from 12 May, access to sex-specific facilities would be determined by biological sex. Scottish Trans called the move “rushed” and “unworkable”, warning it would effectively bar trans people from fully participating in Scottish public life — whether as parliamentary staff or visitors.
One protester, known as Sugar, said the ruling “was not just a setback of humanitarian rights, it’s an act of erasure.”
“It sends a truly saddening message that trans people’s fears, dignity and lives do not matter in the eyes of the Supreme Court,” she added. “Trans voices were ignored in that decision. This kind of judicial disregard sets a dangerous precedent for the erosion of democracy, and a descent into fascism.”
Addressing Scottish political leaders, Sugar asked, “Why have you rolled over? Why are you no longer standing up for one of the most socially marginalised communities in the developed world? This is still a Scottish issue. We urge you to use every available avenue to stand up and fight for trans people.”
She described the topless demonstration as a “public act of grief, resistance and solidarity to highlight the hypocrisy of the ruling”, stating: “If the Supreme Court can see these women legally as men, then they’ll have zero issue with them going tops off.”
A monologue read during the protest labelled the court’s decision as “a step on the slippery slope towards fascism”.
“This ruling, and the subsequent EHRC guidance, aims to segregate trans people from safe spaces that they have used for decades without issue,” it declared. “We are demanding that the Scottish government stand up for its trans citizens by fighting this ruling and appealing to the European Court of Human Rights.”
The monologue concluded with a strong message: “Today’s action is a peaceful cry for fairness and dignity. We are scared, we are angry and we are grieving. This ruling represents the first nail in the coffin of not just trans rights, but the rights of all LGBTQ people across the UK.”
“We need our leaders to speak up, stand with us, and protect each of us equally. Silence on this issue is capitulation to the bigotry and fear that have already captured the EHRC and our government.”
