St Albans woman wins employment appeal over biological sex claims

A St Albans woman has won an appeal after she lost her job for claiming people cannot change their biological sex.

Maya Forstater's contract with thinktank the Centre for Global Development (CGD) was not renewed in March 2019 after she posted tweets opposing government proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act to allow people to identify as the opposite sex.

A High Court judge said the original tribunal had "erred in law", but added: "This judgment does not mean that those with gender-critical beliefs can 'misgender' trans persons with impunity."

Finding in favour of Ms Forstater, Mr Justice Choudhury said her views "may well be profoundly offensive and even distressing", but said they "must be tolerated in a pluralist society".

Ms Forstater, who worked as a tax expert at CGD, an international think tank that campaigns against poverty and inequality, took her case to an employment tribunal on the grounds that her dismissal constituted discrimination against her beliefs.

But employment judge James Tayler previously dismissed her claim, saying her views are "absolutist in her view of sex".

During the employment appeal tribunal in April, she reiterated her views that biological sex is "real, important, immutable, and not to be conflated with gender identity".

Harry Potter author JK Rowling previously came out in support of the claimant, tweeting: "Live your best life in peace and security.

"But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?"