The UK’s Women’s Institute has banned transgender women from becoming members, it said Wednesday, a day after a similar move by the youth organisation Girlguiding.
The National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI), like Girlguiding, said it made the decision after the Supreme Court ruled in April that the legal definition of a woman was based on their biological sex at birth.
“It is with the utmost sadness that today we must announce we can no longer offer formal membership to transgender women from April 2026,” said NFWI chair Jeryl Stone in a video posted on social media.
“We have proudly welcomed transgender women for more than 40 years. So this is not something we would do unless we felt we had no other choice.”
The NFWI is a UK organisation dating back to 1915 with an extended network of local women’s groups, particularly in rural areas, known for social events and charitable works.
Stone said she knew many would find the announcement “extremely painful”, adding the group retains the “firm belief that transgender women are women”.
On Tuesday, Girlguiding said transgender girls and young women will no longer be able to join their organisation.
The charity, founded in 1910, has around 300,000 UK members aged from four to 18 who have joined its Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers groups.
“Following detailed considerations … the board of trustees for Girlguiding has made the difficult decision that Girlguiding must change,” it said in a statement.
Transgender rights groups have heavily criticised the moves.
“It’s clear this is the result of a handful of extremists imposing their views on groups which have been very happily trans inclusive for many years if not decades,” the advocacy organisation TransActual said.
After the April court ruling, Britain’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said transgender people can only use public single-sex spaces, such as toilets, according to their biological sex.
The commission has prepared more complete guidance, which is currently being studied by the government.
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