UK’s Women’s Institute Adopts Supreme Court Definition Of Woman, Accepts Trans Men

The National Federation of Women’s Institute (NSFWI) will no longer accept trans women as members from April 2026, but will now be able to accept trans men.

Earlier this year, a unanimous UK Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refers to “a biological woman and biological sex” and not gender identity.

Following this ruling, NSFWI announced on 3 December that they will update international policies and only accept future applicants based on “biological gender” as they no longer feel like they can offer formal membership to transgender women legally.

NSFWI is a 110-year-old organisation for women created for women to come together to learn, share skills, work together to become active citizens, influencing change to improve lives in their local, national and global communities.

NSFWI CEO Melissa Green explained that it is with regret and sadness that the organisation had made this decision.

“As an organisation that has proudly welcomed transgender women into our membership for more than 40 years, this is not something we would do unless we felt that we had no other choice,” said Green.

Green elaborated that in order to be able to keep operating as the Women’s Institute – a legally recognised women’s organisation and charity – they must act in accordance with the Supreme Court.

“However, this change is only in respect to our membership policy and does not change our firm belief that transgender women are women,” she added.

NSFWI further states that not obeying to the court’s ruling would leave the organisation at risk of costly legal challenge and potential regulatory action from the Charity Commission.

Reliance on biology allows men to join Women’s Institute

As the Supreme Court’s ruling relies on biological sex, this now means that trans men who are publicly and legally recognised as men, can now apply and be accepted into the women’s organisation.

The NSWFI CEO Green explained that the organisation in 2026 will launch a national network of local WI Sisterhood groups, which will offer monthly opportunities for all people, including transgender women to share experiences of living as women.

“We remain clear that our strong belief is that transgender women are women. They have been part of the WI family for 40 years, and they will remain part of that family,” Green said.