Women’s Institute International to ban membership for trans individuals

The UK Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of “woman” refers specifically to biological sex. Photo: Unsplash

The international women’s organization Women’s Institute (WI) has announced amendments to its founding documents that will prohibit membership for transgender women: beginning in April 2026, only "biological sex" will be allowed to join. This was reported by The Pink News.

The policy change comes as a result of a ruling by the UK Supreme Court, which determined that the legal definition of the word “woman” applies specifically to biological sex. In order to maintain its status as an officially recognized women’s organization and charitable body, WI is required to bring its internal rules into alignment with the law.

At the same time, the Women’s Institute says it plans to launch a “national network” of its sisterhood groups, which it said would “offer monthly opportunities for all people, including transgender women”. The CEO acknowledged that members would likely find the decision “extremely painful”, adding that officials had been actively seeking alternative pathways.

As the UOJ reported, the IOC will prohibit transgender athletes from competing at the Olympic Games.

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