Statement of the Bench of Bishops of the Church in Wales on the Supreme Court ruling regarding the legal definition of a woman

The Bench of Bishops believe that every human being is a precious child of God, deserving of dignity and respect. We each have an innermost identity known only to God, which it is our purpose to discover in its deepest reality.

We as bishops all know individual trans people for whom the struggle to find their true identity is often costly and difficult.

With that in mind, and in response to the recent judgement of the Supreme Court, which has stirred such deep concerns on many sides, we want to acknowledge and affirm our collective identity as children of God, whatever our gender at birth, whatever our gender identity, and whatever our views on this sensitive issue.

As society begins to process the Court’s ruling, we call for practical compassion for those who feel the judgement has made them vulnerable, and for generosity from those who agree with the judgement.

We all know individuals who feel distressed by the ruling, and we are aware that this is particularly challenging for younger persons, who are facing difficulties enough when negotiating the complexities of gender identity in a widely divergent society. To them, we say, the Church welcomes you, as you are, always.

Together, we commit to prayer for all who are touched by this issue, including the legislators and public authorities who face the difficult task of finding a practical and just way forward. And we call for greater compassion, greater understanding, and greater generosity so that all children of God can find in the Church, and in society as a whole, a welcome and a place to be their fullest selves.