Fair Play For Women
Fair Play For Women is a British campaign and advocacy group that advocates for the rights of women and girls based on sex. The organisation focuses mainly on women’s sport, prisons, single-sex facilities and the way sex is recorded. An American advocacy group focused on women’s sport is ICONS, a network of current and former elite athletes.
What you can find
The website provides explanations of the UK Equality Act, fact sheets, responses to consultations and dossiers on sports policy. In 2021, the group challenged in court the guidance accompanying the sex question in the census for England and Wales; the statistics office subsequently amended the guidance. A similar case in Scotland was dismissed in 2022.
Background
Critics describe the group as anti-transgender. The organisation itself says it aims to make conflicting rights visible. The site is particularly useful for questions about sport and facilities and legislation.
Campaigns
The group says it aims to raise awareness, provide evidence and analysis, and protect the rights of women and girls in the United Kingdom. The website is organised around five campaigns: prisons, sport, reform of the Gender Recognition Act, language and changing rooms. The Resources section contains key figures, explanations of British law, science, the difference between sex and gender, and responses submitted to consultations. According to the group, the governing bodies for swimming, rugby union, rugby league, triathlon and cycling have reintroduced sex-based rules following its input. The group has also sought judicial review of prison policy and reports on a legal case involving a swimming pool, in which it presents the claimants.
The census cases in more detail
In March 2021, the group sought judicial review of the guidance accompanying the census in England and Wales. The court ordered an interim amendment, and the government accepted it. In Scotland, the group filed an application in December 2021. Judge Lord Sandison dismissed it on 17 February 2022. In his view, there is no general rule that a question about a person’s sex may be answered only on the basis of their birth certificate. The appeal was dismissed. In September 2024, the UK statistics regulator withdrew its official recognition of the census figures on gender identity in England and Wales.
How to assess this source
At the time of consultation, the About Us page contained no information about the organisation’s leadership, founding or funding. The successes claimed in relation to sports governing bodies are the group’s own account. The rules themselves are covered under gender and sport. For more on facilities, see trans issues and women’s safety. The group also reports on guidance from the regulator, the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Related British groups on this list are Sex Matters and Woman's Place UK.