Omagh council to bring in new guidance for single sex spaces

FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council say they will be implementing the provisions of a recent Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex.

The council is the first local authority in the North to say it will be implementing the provisions of last week’s Supreme Court ruling.

The court ruled that the definition of a woman as defined by the Equality Act should be based on biological sex.

This means that where there are women only spaces, a biological man who identifies as a woman, in other words a trans-woman, cannot use those spaces.

That includes changing rooms, toilets, women’s refuge centres, single sex hospital wards and anywhere designated for one sex only.

The landmark Supreme Court ruling means that even if a biological male has an official certificate to say he has changed gender, they should not be allowed to use these spaces.

However, the situation is complicated in the North because a different set of equal rights laws apply here.

Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show asked a number of public bodies, including health trusts, councils and government departments about how they plan to react to the Supreme Court ruling.

Most of the organisations told the programme they are still considering its implications.

A spokesperson for Fermanagh and Omagh District Council told the programme they do not currently have a policy on single sex spaces.

However, the council spokesperson said they will be developing new guidance for the use of changing rooms at leisure facilities and toilets further to the Supreme Court ruling.

The spokesperson said the local council will be implementing the provisions of the Supreme Court ruling across its estate.