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Gwent Police has been threatened with legal action by a women’s rights campaign group over a policy that allows transgender women to use female toilets and showers.

In April last year, the UK Supreme Court ruled the definition of sex in the Equality Act 2010 should be interpreted as a person’s biological sex recorded at birth.

Despite the judgment, Gwent Police’s current Trans Inclusion Policy, dated June 2025, states that transgender members of staff are entitled to use toilets, showers and other facilities corresponding with the gender they identify with from the first day they present in that gender.

The Women’s Rights Network (WRN) contacted every police force in the UK requesting details of their transgender policies and workplace facilities following the ruling.

The group said the responses were “troubling across the board”, but singled out Gwent Police as among the most concerning.

WRN said it had been in correspondence with the force on the matter and is now calling on it to change the policy or face a potential legal challenge.

Ceri Rosser, deputy lead of WRN Wales, said: “It shouldn’t take a grassroots network to threaten legal action against a police force for them to comply with the law, but here we are.

“Unlike Gwent Police, the Women’s Rights Network recognises the importance of complying with UK law. We are giving Gwent Police a final opportunity to withdraw their erroneous policies and discriminatory workplace practices. The ‘waiting for guidance’ excuse simply won’t wash anymore.”

Welsh Conservative Senedd Member Natasha Asghar, who represents Casnewydd Islwyn, said all public bodies should respect the Supreme Court’s ruling.

She said: “Women in all spheres of life, including the workplace, should be able to access female-only toilets.

“The Welsh and UK Governments need to take a lead on this and ensure that the law is followed to protect women and girls. They can do this by issuing updated guidance to all public bodies.”

Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act also show the force is moving towards gender-neutral facilities across its police-owned workplaces through its estates strategy. Gwent Police said toilets and changing rooms at its headquarters are already gender-neutral.

A Gwent Police spokesperson said: “We are committed to an inclusive workplace where everyone feels safe, respected and able to be themselves.

“Our Trans Inclusion Policy is being reviewed in light of recent Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance on public spaces, and we await further guidance on workplaces.

“A revised policy will be issued once the latest guidance and legal developments have been considered, following consultation with our staff networks.”