Judge blocks charity's challenge over trans people's use of Hampstead ponds single-sex facilities

"A charity cannot bring a high court challenge over rules allowing trans people to use the single-sex facilities at swimming ponds on Hampstead Heath, a judge has ruled. Sex Matters sought to take legal action against the City of London, which operates the men's, women's and mixed bathing ponds in north London. Its barristers told a hearing in December the policy of allowing trans people to use the facilities for the gender with which they identified amounted to sex discrimination."

"The challenge, which the City of London opposed, followed a supreme court ruling last year that the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act refer only to a biological woman and to biological sex. In a ruling throwing out the legal action on Thursday, Mrs Justice Lieven said the appropriate forum for such a claim was through an individual at the county court, rather than the high court."

A judge ruled that a charity cannot bring a high court challenge over rules allowing trans people to use single-sex facilities at swimming ponds on Hampstead Heath. Sex Matters sought legal action against the City of London, which operates the men's, women's and mixed bathing ponds. Barristers for Sex Matters argued that the policy of allowing trans people to use facilities for the gender with which they identified amounted to sex discrimination. The challenge followed a supreme court ruling that the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act refer only to biological sex. Mrs Justice Lieven dismissed the action and said an individual alleging discrimination should pursue the claim in county court.

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