Sex Matters (advocacy group)

Last updated

Sex Matters
Formation2021
Founders
Type Campaign group
Registration no.1207701
Legal statusCharitable Incorporated Organisation
Chief Executive Officer
 Maya Forstater
Key people
 Helen Joyce, Director of Advocacy [1]
Website sex-matters.org

Sex Matters is an advocacy group opposing transgender rights in the United Kingdom. The organization was founded in 2021. [2] Sex Matters became a registered charity on 3 April 2024. [3] [4] Sex Matters intervened in the case of For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers at the UK Supreme Court. [5]

Contents

History

Sex Matters is a campaign group co-founded in 2021 by Maya Forstater, Rebecca Bull, Naomi Cunningham, and Emma Hilton, with Forstater becoming the CEO of the organisation upon its founding. [6] [7] [8] Forstater had previously won an Employment Tribunal case against her prior employer in Forstater v Centre for Global Development Europe in 2019, which set a precedent in the United Kingdom that gender-critical beliefs were legally protected under the UK Equality Act 2010. [9]

The lobbying group opposes transgender rights and has been involved in several legal cases against trans-inclusive legislation in the United Kingdom. [10] [7] [8] Sex Matters's stated aims are to "promote clarity about sex in law, policy and language in order to protect everybody’s rights". [8]

The Charity Commission registered Sex Matters as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales on 3 April 2024. [11] [3] [4]

Sex Matters has been described variously as "anti-trans", [12] a "human rights charity", [13] "gender-critical", [3] and a "women's rights group". [14]

Sociologists McLean and Stretesky describe Sex Matters as part of "a veritable miasma of anti-trans campaign groups [...] united in their antipathy toward transgender people", alongside CitizenGo, FiLiA, Fair Play for Women, Get the L Out, LGB Alliance, and Transgender Trend. [12]

In September 2025, the Starmer government appointed Tim Allan, previously a board member of Sex Matters, as director of communications. [15]

Activities

Advocacy

In 2021, Sex Matters wrote an open letter to the Committee on Standards in Public Life complaining the passport office did not record how many people changed sex on the passport. [16] In October 2023, Sex Matters released guidance advising public bodies to ask about sex as opposed to self-identified gender. [17] In other documents, Sex Matters has called for trans peoples' assigned sex at birth to be on all medical records at all times and for the sex of trans doctors and hospital workers to be a matter of public record. It was presented as common sense without explanation of why such tracking was necessary. This has been described as "invasive surveillance" and "disregarding any right to privacy". [16]

Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at Sex Matters has appeared as a speaker at Genspect's conference in 2023. [18] [ importance? ]

In June 2024, the Labour Party published a manifesto including a promise to ban conversion therapy, calling it "abuse" and by banning the practice, create "freedom for people to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity". [19] [20] In July 2024, King Charles III announced the new government's plans during his King's Speech including the ban on conversion therapy. [21] [22] Responding to the announcement, in July 2024, Sex Matters called on incoming Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to give Anneliese Dodds, Minister of State for Women and Equalities the responsibility for Labour's pledge to implement a "full trans-inclusive" ban on conversion therapy, claiming it may be "used to criminalise dissent with gender ideology" ( concept opposed by the anti-gender movement ). [20] [23]

In March 2025, the LGBTQ+ advocacy groups TransActual and the Feminist Gender Equality Network (FGEN) called on the British Government to reject a review written by Alice Sullivan on how the government should collect data on gender, which, if implemented, may cause "significant harm" to people and would not reflect people's lived realities. The organizations said that Sullivan's role as a member of the advisory board of Sex Matters shows a "clear sign of bias" and may have compromised her ability to act as an independent reviewer. [24]

In May 2025, Fiona McAnena, Sex Matters's director of campaigns, welcomed the Football Association ruling to ban transgender women from playing women's football in England. [25] [ importance? ] Later, after a controversy in which a trans woman working as a shop assistant at Marks & Spencer approached a teenage customer and her mother in the underwear section and asked if they needed any assistance, McAnena issued a statement saying "M&S needs to rethink its priorities and remember that women and girls have rights too, and that this man should not be permitted to hang around in the women's underwear department". [26] [27] M&S subsequently apologized, and later added that the store's bra fitting service (which had not been offered by the employee) would only be offered to customers who are "biological females" and only carried out by employees who are the same. [28]

In August 2025, Sex Matters supported GB News host Michelle Dewberry in issuing a legal threat against gym chain Virgin Active, resulting in the chain banning trans women from female changing rooms within the United Kingdom. [29]

For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers

Sex Matters intervened at the UK Supreme Court in the case For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers that was decided in April 2025 [5] and welcomed the Court's ruling. [30] A subsequent YouGov poll commissioned by Sex Matters reported that almost two thirds of those surveyed agreed with the Supreme Court ruling. [31]

Peggie v NHS Fife

In January 2025, when Sandie Peggie decided to submit a claim to an employment tribunal against NHS Fife and Dr Upton, a transgender doctor, after being placed on leave due to confronting the doctor for being in the women's changing room, Sex Matters supported her by providing legal and media services. [7] [32] [33] Naomi Cunningham, chair of Sex Matters, acted as counsel in a personal capacity.

Kenwood Ladies' Pond

In July 2025, Sex Matters said it would pursue legal action against the City of London Corporation, over allowing trans women to swim in the Kenwood Ladies' Pond at Hampstead Heath; the Kenwood Ladies' Pond Association had previously voted to reject a definition of 'woman' which excluded trans women. [34] [35] A submission for judicial review was filed in August 2025. [36] [37]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Beal, James (22 November 2024). "Police log hate incident for refusal to shake hands in gender row". The Times . Archived from the original on 18 March 2025. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  2. ↑ Gordon, Jane (23 April 2021). "Maya Forstater: 'I am fighting for the right to say men can never be women'". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Whitehead, Harriet (5 April 2024). "Regulator grants Sex Matters charitable status". www.civilsociety.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  4. 1 2 Harle, Emily (5 April 2024). "Controversial gender-critical group granted charitable status". www.thirdsector.co.uk . Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Defining 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 — Inside the For Women Scotland v the Scottish Ministers appeal". Law Society of Scotland. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  6. ↑ Siddique, Haroon (6 July 2022). "Maya Forstater was discriminated against over gender-critical beliefs, tribunal rules". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 Mitchell, Hilary (5 February 2025). "What is Sex Matters and how is it involved with the NHS Fife trans doctor tribunal?". PinkNews . Archived from the original on 28 March 2025. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 Domb, Arielle (14 July 2025). "Who are Sex Matters? The controversial campaign group". Evening Standard . Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Siddique, Haroon (6 July 2022). "Maya Forstater was discriminated against over gender-critical beliefs, tribunal rules". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  10. ↑ "Red Flag Alert on Anti-Trans and Intersex Rights in the UK". Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention . 30 June 2025. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  11. ↑ "SEX MATTERS - Charity 1207701". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  12. 1 2 McLean, Anna; Stretesky, Paul B. (2025). "The Influence of Authoritarian Beliefs on Support for Transgender Rights in the UK". Sociology Compass. 19 (7) e70088. doi: 10.1111/soc4.70088 . eISSN   1751-9020. A veritable miasma of anti-trans campaign groups have wafted in to public discourse in recent years. These have included, but are not limited to, Authentic Equity Alliance, CitizenGo, FiLiA, Fair Play for Women, Get the L Out, Keep Prisons Single Sex, Lesbian Rights Alliance, LGB Alliance, MayDay4Women, Object!, Safe Schools Alliance, Sex Matters, Transgender Trend, and Woman's Place UK. Although the ostensible focus of these groups is varied, they are united in their antipathy toward transgender people.
  13. ↑ Syal, Rajeev (17 April 2025). "British Transport Police amends strip-searching policy after supreme court gender ruling". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  14. ↑ "Supreme Court ruling has 'changed landscape' of Peggie tribunal – campaigner". The Independent. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  15. ↑ Sugg, Aaron (3 September 2025). "Stonewall challenges Tim Allan's government appointment as charity writes open letter to Keir Starmer". Attitude .
  16. 1 2 Amery, Fran (1 March 2025). "'Gender critical' feminism as biopolitical project". Sexualities. 28 (3): 1239–1253. doi: 10.1177/13634607241257397 . ISSN   1363-4607.
  17. ↑ Martin, Daniel (25 October 2023). "Ask about sex not gender to protect the truth, public bodies told". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 23 May 2025. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  18. ↑ "Clash of the transgender conferences: Killarney to host simultaneous meetings with contrasting opinions on care". Irish Independent. 12 March 2023. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  19. ↑ Parker, Fiona (13 June 2024). "Labour pledges to ban conversion therapy". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  20. 1 2 Gibbons, Amy; Martin, Daniel (10 July 2024). "Anneliese Dodds should not be in charge of conversion therapy ban, campaigners urge". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  21. ↑ Perry, Sophie (17 July 2024). "Labour includes conversion therapy ban in King's Speech". PinkNews . Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  22. ↑ "What is conversion therapy and when will it be banned?". BBC . 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  23. ↑ Walters, Mark Austin (2024). "Legalizing transphobia: from courtroom to legislature, how gender-critical activism is hurting us all". Journal of Law and Society. 51 (3): 343–366. doi: 10.1111/jols.12491 . ISSN   0263-323X.
  24. ↑ Hansford, Amelia (21 March 2025). "Government asked to reject 'biased' Sullivan Review by 'gender-critical' academic". PinkNews . Archived from the original on 9 April 2025. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  25. ↑ Ingle, Sean (1 May 2025). "FA to ban transgender women from playing women's football in England". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  26. ↑ "M&S apologises over trans employee in bra department". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  27. ↑ Hughes, Seren (5 August 2025). "M&S trans employee offered to help girl, 14, shopping for bra". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  28. ↑ Perry, Sophie (18 August 2025). "M&S says its bra fittings are for 'biological females'". PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  29. ↑ Newbury, Aaron (15 August 2025). "Virgin Active bans trans women from female changing rooms after legal threat". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  30. ↑ "UK Supreme Court rules legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex - live updates". BBC News. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  31. ↑ Fox, Aine (19 May 2025). "Most people think Supreme Court gender ruling was right, survey finds". The Standard. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  32. ↑ "Sandie Peggie: Transgender changing room row nurse cleared of misconduct by NHS Fife". Sky News. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  33. ↑ "Naomi Cunningham: I'm fuelled by rage, and I've been lucky". Holyrood Website. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  34. ↑ Perry, Sophie (15 July 2025). "Gender-critical group 'plan legal action' against Hampstead Heath Ladies' Pond". PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news. Archived from the original on 15 July 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  35. ↑ Hayward, Eleanor (14 July 2025). "Row over trans swimmers at Hampstead Heath may go to High Court". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  36. ↑ Manning, Sanchez (24 August 2025). "Hampstead pond's trans swimming row plunges into the High Court". The Times . Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  37. ↑ Brencher, Holly (27 August 2025). "Legal challenge over trans access to Kenwood Ladies' Pond". Ham & High . Retrieved 27 August 2025.
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