Australian organisations oppose redefining ‘sex’ in discrimination law

A coalition of 100 Australian organisations, including women’s groups, LGBTQ+ advocates, unions, and disability organisations, has issued an open letter urging federal MPs to reject attempts to redefine ‘sex’ within the Sex Discrimination Act.

The coalition warns that introducing a biological definition of sex or removing gender identity as a protected attribute would strip protections from transgender and intersex Australians while simultaneously weakening safeguards for women. Signatories such as Equality Australia and Women’s Legal Services Australia argue that such changes would render specific groups invisible under the law.

The intervention follows a recent defeat in the Senate, where a motion to revive the Sex Discrimination Amendment (Restoring Common Sense and Recognising Biological Sex) Bill 2026 was defeated 32 votes to 22. The bill, introduced by Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash, seeks to explicitly recognise biological sex to strengthen protections for women in spaces such as sports and changing rooms. While the motion failed, Senator Cash has indicated she intends to continue campaigning for the reform.