A year on from the Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of sex under the Equality Act, trans people say their every day lives have been left in a constant state of of confusion, fear and growing isolation.
Tate Smith, a 27-year-old trans man from London, spoke to the Mirror about his experiences navigating public life following the ruling. The atmosphere has created constant anxiety for the trans community.
Fear has become a daily reality rather than an exception. Since the Supreme Court ruling, Tate has felt more scrutinised in public spaces. He explains that as someone who passes as male, the anxiety has not gone away. “Even seven years into my transition I still get scared when I go into the bathroom,” he says, describing how he avoids eye contact and remains constantly on edge.
The intensity of that feeling has amplified. “What this ruling has done is exacerbate that feeling of dysphoria… and has meant that I’m on even more high alert.” But for Tate, the anxiety is not only about personal safety. It is also about how trans men are being discussed in wider public debate.
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In April 2025, the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the terms “sex,” “man,” and “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 refer strictly to biological sex assigned at birth, meaning a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) does not change a person’s sex for the purposes of that Act.
Subsequently, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued interim guidance clarifying that service providers can now legally restrict single-sex spaces (such as wards, changing rooms, and refuges) based on biological sex rather than legal gender, provided the exclusion is a proportionate way to ensure privacy, dignity, or safety.
Trans men are often overlooked entirely in public discussions, or reduced to what he calls a “gotcha moment” in anti-trans rhetoric. He describes how conversations about toilets and gendered spaces often turn trans men into a rhetorical tool rather than people living real lives.
‘Trans men are reduced to a ‘gotcha moment”
He says trans men are frequently brought up to score points rather than being understood on their own terms. “In my view, trans men are not only absent from conversations about gender equality, but also from discussions about men’s mental health and lived experience,” he explains. That absence, he says, “makes it harder for people to understand the diversity within the trans community.”
Tate also believes trans men are frequently ignored in wider media narratives because of how masculinity is framed. He says there is a perception that trans men, after transitioning, are seen through the lens of male privilege.
This understanding is reinforced by parts of online culture, particularly spaces like the “manosphere” and red pill communities, are shaping how gender is discussed in everyday life. These online spaces are not just influencing extreme debate, but filtering into workplaces and casual conversations too. “People are nervous, and people are starting to buy into this anti-trans rhetoric that we’re seeing in the right-wing press and other outlets,” he explains.
‘I feel like I can’t open up about my identity anymore’
In everyday life, the growing hostility around trans issues has made him more cautious and less open. He describes a shift in how safe he feels speaking about himself in public or with new people.
“I feel like I can’t open up about my identity anymore,” he says, adding that he often struggles to know who he can trust. He explains that people he once assumed were allies have shared content or views that have made him rethink those assumptions.
That uncertainty has changed how he moves through the world. Even ordinary interactions can feel loaded. He gives examples of conversations where he is suddenly expected to respond to political opinions, or where he feels pressure to defend his existence.
Online, the pressure continues. Tate has reduced his time on social media and turned off comments on some posts after receiving abusive and threatening messages. Despite that, he continues to speak out, even when it feels uncomfortable. At times, he has felt like “the last trans man standing” in public spaces, particularly when appearing in media interviews or broadcast discussions.
‘Some trans people feel they have been left out of the conversation – trans men even more so’
He believes that lack of visibility contributes to misunderstanding. “Despite the large changes impacting their lives, some trans people feel they have been left out of the conversation. Trans men even more so,” Tate says.
Across all of this, what he returns to most is the need for recognition and consistent support. He says allyship cannot only appear during moments like Pride or visibility campaigns. Instead, it has to be present in everyday behaviour. “Meaningful allyship looks like someone offering their seat at the table,” he says.
“Show up during the bad times, not just the happy-go-lucky,” he says. For Tate, that means small, consistent signals of support from checking in on friends, to visibly showing allyship in daily life.