# City of London defends Hampstead ponds trans policy in court

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/city-of-london-defends-hampstead-ponds-trans-policy-in-court/
- Published: 2026-11-04T13:42:03+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T17:36:42+00:00
- Original publisher: City AM (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.cityam.com/city-of-london-defends-hampstead-ponds-trans-policy-in-court/
- Topics: Business, Government, Politics, Space, Technology

## Key points

- Sex Matters is challenging Hampstead Heath pond access rules in the High Court.
- The City of London says its trans-inclusive policy is lawful.
- The mixed pond remains open to everyone.

## Summary

The City of London Corporation is defending its policy allowing transgender people to use Hampstead Heath swimming ponds according to their gender identity. Sex Matters has brought a High Court challenge, arguing the arrangements unlawfully disadvantage women by compromising their privacy, dignity and safety.

The policy, confirmed in June, allows trans women to use the Kenwood ladies’ pond and trans men to use the Highgate men’s pond; the mixed pond remains open to everyone. Sex Matters says the rules breach the Equality Act 2010, while the Corporation argues the Act does not make trans-inclusive arrangements inherently unlawful. The case follows a Supreme Court ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex, which the Corporation says did not require all services to be single-sex.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.