UK's equality regulator has published new provisional guidelines on the use of gender-neutral spaces in the UK, following the Supreme Court's decision to base the legal definition of a woman on biological sex.
In line with the ruling, which has caused concern among transgender people, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) states that from now on, "A transgender woman is a biological man" and "a transgender man is a biological woman" in the eyes of the law.
As a result, "Transgender women (biological men) should not be allowed to use services reserved for women", in shops, restaurants or hospitals, it says.
This also applies to transgender men in male-only services and spaces.
However, "Transgender people should not find themselves in a situation where they do not have a service available to them", adds the EHRC, which advocates in particular the addition of mixed-sex toilets.
