XClose

UCL Human Resources

Menu

LESG statements of support

LESG response to the UK Supreme Court ruling (April, 2025)

The LGBTQ+ Equality Steering Group at UCL views the recent UK Supreme Court ruling in the matter of For Women Scotland vs Scottish Ministers, which ruled that the meaning of “sex” for the Equality Act as referring to biological sex only, as regrettable and concerning. This ruling represents a dire threat to the legal rights, personal safety, and basic dignity of all trans and non-binary people in the UK. Furthermore, it is based on an unsubstantiated definition of biological sex, and whilst claiming to clarify the situation, has done the opposite. It potentially contravenes the European Convention of Human Rights.

The Steering Group are committed to upholding the human rights of all trans and non-binary people and will use its collective position as well as its network of stakeholders to do what it can to reject the proposition that these rights are in any way pitted against the rights of non-trans women or against academic freedom (as implied by UCL's statement).

We note that a legal case is being brought against this decision to the European Court of Human Rights and that there is a petition to Parliament to amend the Equality Act and the Interpretation Act so that to clarify that where laws refer to sex, gender, 'man', or 'woman', they mean legal sex and gender. 

This will have been a difficult few weeks for most of us to process, so we thought it helpful to signpost some excellent sources of support from specialist external providers:

  • Gendered Intelligence run in person and online groups for young trans and non-binary people, as well as providing a range of other services to trans and non-binary people and their families
  • Mindline trans+ operates a telephone helpline on Friday evenings
  • LGBT Foundation run a helpline 7 days a week
  • Switchboard operates a national LGBTQIA+ helpline 10am-10pm 7 days a week
  • Spectra provide a range of peer-led trans services based in London
  • Not A Phase work to create supportive spaces for the trans+ and gender non-conforming community

 Within UCL, students, as always, can contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services for support and staff can access confidential, free mental health and wellbeing support at any time through the Employee Assistance Programme.

This statement represents the collective opinion of all members of the LGBTQ+ Equality Steering Group (LESG) and cannot be attributed to one individual.

 The LGBTQ+ Equality Steering Group (LESG) was established as a separate, formalised steering committee that serves UCL in a steering capacity through the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion unit (EDI). Out@UCL is the social arm of LESG. 

LESG statement in support of LGBTQ+ staff and students at UCL

LESG strongly believes that addressing the current epidemic of violence, bullying, harassment and discrimination based on gender identity has to be a top priority at UCL. We have prepared the statement below to contextualise and strongly affirm the need for support of LGBQ+ and Trans staff and students encountering challenges at work and in their studies due to their gender identity.  

Over 40% of UCL LGBTQ+ staff respondents in UCL’s Staff Survey 2017 stated that they were not completely able to talk about themselves openly or to be out at work. It is vital that all staff and students can be themselves while working and studying at UCL.

Universities have a duty both to protect the dignity, wellbeing and safety of staff and students and to ensure freedom of academic expression. 

Discharging these two duties can be challenging.  In particular, the right to free academic expression should never be used to justify denying the right of an individual to determine and express their own gender identity, or for refusing to refer to an individual by this identity. Universities have an obligation to provide staff and students with a safe environment where their identities, and the way they express them (e.g., through use of particular pronouns), are acknowledged and respected without any limitation based on academic freedom.

Society in general, and universities in particular, are working out what approaches are best, and where the legal framework in the UK is in flux and only covers a sub-set of issues.  We feel we have a responsibility to address these challenges in an environment free from abuse, threats or acts of violence.

This statement was agreed by LESG collectively and is not necessarily attributable to individual LESG members.