The following motion was passed at a quorate branch meeting on 23rd April 2025.
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Trans and non-binary policies and relevant legislation
This branch notes:
- On 26th March 2025 Office for Students (OfS) fined the University of Sussex £585,000 for breaches relating to free speech and governance. OfS stated the University’s Trans and Non-Binary Equality Policy failed to uphold freedom of speech and academic freedom public interest governance.
- On 16th April 2025 the UK’s Supreme Court unanimously concluded “woman” and “sex” refer to a “biological woman and biological sex” for the purposes outlined in the Equality Act 2010, excluding trans women from this definition, including those with a Gender Recognition Certificate.
- The University of Essex has taken down their web page and subsequent policy Our approach to supporting trans and non-binary staff, with intentions to review and update.
This branch believes:
- The Supreme Court ruling does not bring clarity on this matter, and potentially undermines the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
- The ruling, alongside the temporary removal and subsequent review of the University’s trans and non-binary policy, may enable and/or increase hostilities and transphobic rhetoric, particularly transmisogyny, making trans lives more difficult in public and academic life.
This branch resolves:
- To explore and encourage the University to commit to meaningful trans and non-binary inclusion in academic life, and clarify how they intend to safeguard these communities in relation to their Harassment and bullying: Our Zero tolerance approach.
- To encourage the University to share transparency in its processes and decision-making relating to its equality policy reviews, inclusive of its upcoming review of its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy 2019-25 by September 2025.
- To encourage the university to involve relevant communities from the onset of the review including students and academics. The issue pertains to academic freedom and as such the review should be considered in appropriate university governance channels, especially Senate.