Over 1000 artists and music professionals from Ireland and the UK, including CMAT, Bambie Thug and Charli xcx, have signed an open letter in solidarity with the trans community and condemning the UK Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of ‘woman’.

Delivered on April 16 this year, the ruling stated that the legal definition of ‘woman’ under the Equality Act 2010 does not include trans women who hold gender recognition certificates (GRCs). With this decision, the court established that trans women do not qualify for sex-based protections under the Act.

The ruling caused widespread outrage both in the UK and abroad, with activists condemning the court’s decision and highlighting its real-life repercussions on trans women. In an open letter organised by artist Tom Rasmussen and publicist Tom Mehrtens, with the support of UK singer Olly Alexander and his manager Martha Kinn, hundreds of artists and music professionals joined forces to express solidarity with the trans community.

Among the signatories are Irish acts like CMAT and Bambie Thug, as well as big names in the UK music industry such as Charli xcx, Olly Alexander, Self Esteem, Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding, Sam Smith, Florence Welch, Rina Sawayama and more.

“We have long celebrated a multitude of voices and identities, and the music industry here in the UK is one of our most trailblazing and culturally vital assets – one which trans, intersex and non-binary people are woven into in every aspect of the industry, past, present and future,” the letter reads.

“We must now urgently work to ensure that our trans, non-binary, and intersex colleagues, collaborators, and audiences are protected from discrimination and harassment in all areas of the industry – whether in studios, at venues, in offices, or at festivals.”

UK Music Industry figures sign open letter of solidarity to the trans community following the Supreme Court ruling that ‘woman’ is defined by biological sex.

Signees included Dua Lipa, Charli xcx, JADE, Ellie Goulding, Leigh-Anne, Sam Smith, Perrie, Florence Welch, Rina Sawayama… pic.twitter.com/jRoHSsWg4p

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 6, 2025

The letter then goes on to condemn the Supreme Court’s ruling, stating that it “not only undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary, and intersex people living in the UK but also weakens legal protections at a time when trans people face rising hate crime, discrimination, and systemic barriers.”

Expanding on the guidance released by the UK’s Equalities & Human Rights Commission in the wake of the ruling, which establishes that trans people won’t be permitted access to gender-segregated spaces, the open letters states: “We believe this guidance exposes trans people to embarrassment and harassment, ultimately excluding and seeking to erase them from participation in public life.

“We stand with the many voices who have condemned both the ruling and the EHRC guidance, highlighting the negative consequences that both will have for all individuals and the particular harm that trans, non-binary, and intersex people face as a result.”

“Music has the power to unite, to inspire, and to reflect the richness of the human experience,” the letter reads. “This is our moment to amplify voices that need to be heard, to champion inclusivity and real justice, and to ensure that our industry remains a welcoming and trailblazing space for everyone.”

In a similar move earlier in April, over 400 actors, filmmakers and media industry professionals signed an open letter to the UK film and television industry, pledging their support for trans rights and condemning the ruling.