by Sanchez Manning, The Times
Members of the Women’s Institute are divided over how to respond to the Supreme Court’s ruling in April on biological sex in gender and equality law
The Women’s Institute is facing a potential schism after one of its leaders advised members to hold “sisterhood” meetings to get around a ban on transgender women, The Times can reveal.
The suggestion prompted warnings that such a move could mark the end of the 110-year-old female-only network.
This month the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) said it had decided to exclude trans women, males who identify as female, from joining the WI. Its chief executive Melissa Green said the decision had been taken with the “utmost regret and sadness” but insisted the single-sex organisation had no choice after a Supreme Court ruling in April defined “man” and “woman” as referring to biological sex under equality law.
The ban has been welcomed by gender-critical WI members who insist people cannot change sex and have previously railed against trans women being allowed to join.
However, an internal “trans inclusion” meeting held via Zoom this month revealed the WI is now facing a split and discussions are under way among other members about defying the trans policy, which will come into effect next April.