Women's Institute to Restrict Formal Membership to Biological Women from April 2026

The Women's Institute (WI) has announced it will no longer offer formal membership to transgender women starting in April 2026. This significant policy shift follows a UK Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that defined "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act as referring exclusively to biological sex. Melissa Green, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Women's Institutes, expressed "utmost regret and sadness" regarding the decision.

The Supreme Court's definitive ruling in April clarified that for single-sex organizations, the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. This interpretation means that to maintain its status as a legally recognized women's organization and charity, the WI stated it must align its membership criteria accordingly. The decision marks a departure from a policy that had allowed transgender women to join for over 40 years, officially since 2015.

Green emphasized that the organization felt it had "no choice" but to implement the change, despite stating, "This change is only in respect to our membership policy and does not change our firm belief that transgender women are women." She noted that some transgender members have been part of the WI for decades, describing them as "part of our family."

Reacting to the news, activist and author Jennifer Sey posted on social media, "> Oh gee look… the Women’s Institute is gonna be for women. History will record this as the moment when reality broke through." Her tweet reflects a perspective that views the decision as a return to a traditional definition of women's spaces.

In an effort to maintain inclusivity outside of formal membership, the WI plans to launch new "sisterhood groups" from April 2026. These groups will be open to all, including transgender women, providing spaces for social interaction and shared experiences. The announcement comes just days after Girlguiding made a similar decision to restrict membership based on biological sex.

The move has drawn varied reactions, with trans rights advocates like Helen Belcher of TransActual expressing concern over the exclusion and potential impact on individuals. Conversely, groups advocating for sex-based rights, such as Sex Matters, have welcomed the decision, asserting the importance of single-sex spaces for biological women. The WI's leadership acknowledged that the decision would cause "anger, sadness and disappointment" among some members.