J. K. Rowling offers legal funding for NHS single-sex space disputes

Author J. K. Rowling has offered legal funding through her J. K. Rowling Women’s Fund to female NHS patients and staff who wish to challenge the use of single-sex spaces by transgender women.

The offer follows an announcement by the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) that there will be “no immediate changes” to its policy regarding single-sex facilities. Under current MPFT guidelines, patients and staff may access wards, washrooms, and changing rooms based on their gender identity. This stance persists despite the recent introduction of a new statutory code from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

The EHRC code, which came into effect in early August, encourages service providers to offer single-sex services based on biological sex rather than gender identity. While the code is not legally binding, it provides guidance on the application of the Equality Act 2010. Rowling stated on social media that if female patients or staff require assistance to fight what she termed an “assault on their legal rights,” they should apply to her fund.