The Green Party is set to debate proposals that would grant biological men the legal right to compete in women’s sports, aiming to extend the participation rights of transgender individuals in sporting categories aligned with their gender identity. These plans, put forward by party members ahead of the party conference in October, seek to challenge existing restrictions that limit transgender athletes' involvement based on biological sex.
The proposed amendments would oppose what they describe as “gender-based blanket bans” on trans athletes across all levels of sport. Supporters argue that such bans have detrimental effects on the mental and physical health of transgender people, emphasizing the importance of sport as a means to promote well-being and social inclusion. The motion also contends that restrictions on trans athletes reflect broader societal issues, including “historical colonial and Eurocentric attitudes” and “transmisogyny.”
Melissa Harker, the Greens’ first openly transgender councillor in the North East, was among those who submitted the original motion titled “Oppose Gender-Based Blanket Bans in Sport.” An amendment proposing explicit legal rights for biological men to compete in women’s sports was introduced by Anna Di Bona and supported by several members, including Harker. The party is expected to consider calls for an independent inquiry into the evidence behind such bans and demands greater transparency from sports governing bodies about how these decisions were reached.
Opponents of the proposal, including political figures such as Claire Coutinho, the shadow equalities minister, have emphasized the importance of recognizing biological differences between men and women in sports. Coutinho stated that permitting biological men to compete in female categories would undermine the fairness of competition and could pose safety risks for women athletes. Critics advocate for policies that protect women's sports by maintaining boundaries that prevent those with a “sex-based advantage” from competing against biological women.
The debate follows updated government guidance issued earlier this year, which requires public bodies to organize sports teams based on biological sex rather than gender identity. This guidance aligns with rulings by the Supreme Court, which affirmed that terms such as “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological distinctions. Several official sporting organizations have revised their policies in accordance with this interpretation, emphasizing the protection of women’s sport integrity.
The Green Party has publicly called for the withdrawal of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s guidance on single-sex sports teams, asserting that gender identity should be the basis for participation rather than biological sex. A party spokesman reiterated the view that trans women are women, trans men are men, and that non-binary individuals should be recognized in alignment with their lived gender.
The forthcoming conference debate will determine whether the Green Party will formally adopt these proposals as party policy, but their placement on the final agenda remains uncertain. The discussion reflects ongoing tensions in the UK and internationally over the balance between inclusion of transgender athletes and the preservation of fairness and safety in women’s sports.