The popular London bathing spot, Hampstead Heath, will remain open to trans swimmers after a High Court judge dismissed a legal challenge from Sex Matters.
The group, which campaigns for single-sex spaces based on assigned sex at birth, filed a judicial review against the City of London Corporation, which manages the swimming facilities. Sex Matters was objecting to the ponds’ rules, which allow trans people to use the single-sex facilities, including the Ladies Pond, claiming that the policy amounts to sex discrimination.
Signs erected at Hampstead Heath ponds in July 2025 state: “Those who identify as women are welcome to swim at the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond. The Ladies’ Pond is open to biological women and trans women with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment under the Equality Act 2010.”
Sex Matters claims that Hampstead Heath’s swimming ponds policy was unlawful, citing the April 2025 Supreme Court ruling, which stated that under the 2010 Equality Act, a woman is defined by biological sex.
As the BBC reports, Mrs Justice Lieven dismissed Sex Matters’ legal challenge from progressing to the High Court and said the appropriate forum for the legal challenge was the county court.
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The news that Hampstead Heath ponds will remain trans-inclusive has been welcomed by a number of LGBTQ+ groups. In a post on Instagram, Trans+ Solidarity Alliance said the judge’s dismissal was “good news”, but the “need to act” remains.
“A ‘gender-critical’ challenge to Hampstead Heath’s trans-inclusive ponds has been thrown out of court,” the post read. “Today’s refusal of permission came just after consultation responses showed an overwhelming majority want the ponds to stay inclusive.”
The advocacy group continued: “It’s a shame that yet more public money has had to be spent defending against lawfare from a vocal, well-funded minority trying to force trans people out. Trans inclusion is the norm across the country, and this government needs to act to ensure clarity and confidence for service providers to continue this without leaving them at risk of expensive litigation.”
Trans+ Solidarity Alliance urged their followers to contact their MPs and ask them to protect trans inclusion.
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