Update on transgender equality at Oxford Brookes

Adrienne Hopkins, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, provides an update in light of a Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman.

In recent weeks, there has been widespread media coverage of the Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman, and of the University of Sussex’s fine from the Office for Students for breaches of freedom of speech rules related to its transgender policy. We understand that members of our community may be concerned about these developments, and have questions about their wider impact, including on policy and practice at Oxford Brookes.

The University remains fully committed to supporting the rights and wellbeing of our trans and gender non-conforming staff and students, and to creating an inclusive, open and supportive culture for all. 

The University is carefully considering the implications of the Supreme Court ruling and of the Sussex case for Oxford Brookes, and will monitor any resulting sector requirements or guidance. However, we will not make any rushed decisions. We will continue to work closely with the University’s LGBTQ+ Equality Steering Group, chaired by Dr Lindsay Williams, and with our staff and student networks.

We intend to review our transgender policy to ensure that it remains legally robust. The policy, which was introduced in 2017, was due to be reviewed next year in any case, so we're bringing that date forward. We will not withdraw our existing transgender policy in the meantime. The policy review will be a fully consultative process and presents an opportunity to ensure that we continue to offer strong and appropriate support for trans staff and students. 

We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that support for staff, including access to counselling, is available at any time through our Employee Assistance Programme. There are also details of external support organisations on our website. 

Students can receive support from Student Support Services or from the trans and gender non-conforming student peer support group.