London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Census 2021: Judge orders change to sex question guidance

Census 2021: Judge orders change to sex question guidance

Part of the census guidance for England and Wales accompanying the question on a person's sex should be withdrawn, a High Court judge has ordered.

Campaign group Fair Play for Women argued it unlawfully allowed "self-identification" as male or female.

The guidance said people can use the sex listed on their passport - which can be changed without a legal process.

The Office for National Statistics said it was asking the same question on sex it had done since 1801.

After a court hearing on Tuesday, Mr Justice Swift ruled that the guidance should be changed to say individuals should only respond with the answer on their birth certificate or gender recognition certificate - a document which allows trans people to change their legal gender.

A full judicial review will take place next week before the census day, but the judge made the interim order saying he was satisfied the campaign group was "more likely than not to succeed" on its case regarding the legal definition of "sex".

Taking place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 21 March, the census aims to provide a snapshot of the population of the country which can then be used to make decisions about services - and which this year will be used to understand the impact of the pandemic.

Scotland's census has been postponed for a year because of the coronavirus crisis.

For the first time, it will include a question about gender identity as well as the one about a person's legally registered sex. The decision had been welcomed by some trans people as a "step in the right direction".

The legal action comes after ministers abandoned plans last year to reform the Gender Recognition Act to allow people to change their birth certificates without a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria - a process known as "self-identification".

Fair Play for Women, which seeks to defend "the sex-based rights of women and girls", launched a crowdfunded legal action arguing that the census guidance on the question, "What is your sex?" was unlawful. The group called it "sex self-identification through the back door".

The guidance, published in the online census only, said: "If you are considering how to answer, use the sex recorded on one of your legal documents such as a birth certificate, gender recognition certificate, or passport.

"If you are aged 16 years or over, there is a later voluntary question on gender identity. This asks if the gender you identify with is different from your sex registered at birth.

"If it is different, you can then record your gender identity."

The guidance opposed by Fair Play for Women only appears online - not on the paper form
Fair Play for Women had argued that, unlike a birth certificate, a person's sex on a passport or other legal document such as a driving licence can be altered without a formal legal process.

They argued this could potentially have the effect of "distorting" the data gathered in the census.

The Office for National Statistics argued that the question on sex could refer to a person's sex as recorded in any document provided by the state.

Speaking before the hearing, Dr Nicola Williams, director of Fair Play For Women, said: "If we don't have good data on sex we can't monitor inequalities due to sex, and if we can't measure it, we can't make good policies to remedy it."

The Office for National Statistics said most people did not need help to answer the question on sex but it would update the guidance to advise people to use the sex recorded on their birth certificate or gender recognition certificate.

A spokesperson for the ONS said: "We are continuing to ask a binary choice, female or male, sex question on the census. This approach is unchanged since 1801."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
×