A change to Women’s Institute membership policy affecting transgender women has prompted the resignation of Avening WI President Jo Harwood after more than 25 years of membership.
Her resignation follows a policy change by the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI), which has said it will no longer admit transgender women as members from April 2026, following legal developments relating to the interpretation of “sex” under the Equality Act 2010.
Last year, the UK Supreme Court issued a judgment in a case concerning the interpretation of “sex” within the Equality Act 2010, clarifying how the term should be understood in law. The NFWI has stated that its policy change follows this ruling.
More than 12 WI’s in Gloucestershire have closed and more than 200 members didn’t renew membership in April following the change that was first announced on BBC Radio Four Woman’s Hour.
Jo Harwood said: “I have given over 25 years of commitment to the WI, and I have always believed in its values of friendship, inclusion, and member-led decision making. I am deeply saddened that this decision appears to have been taken without full consultation with the membership.”
She added: “My resignation is not a rejection of the WI as an institution, which I continue to respect deeply. It is a response to what I believe is a departure from the principles of openness and member involvement that have always defined it for me.
“Many transgender women have been valued and active members of the WI for years. It is painful to think they may now be excluded from continuing their membership under this change.”
Jo is concerned that the policy shift was announced before full consultation with the wider membership, which exceeds 180,000 members across the UK.
She said she believes such a decision required “transparent consultation with members, clear communication, and careful consideration of the impact on individuals and local communities,” and raised concern about the lack of wider member engagement prior to the announcement and limited public follow-up discussion.
She has also raised concerns with the BBC Radio Four programme Woman’s Hour regarding the limited follow-up coverage of the development.
An NFWI spokesperson said the organisation had made the change in response to the Supreme Court judgment and that it had previously welcomed transgender women into membership for more than 40 years.
The spokesperson added that the organisation would not have made the change “unless we felt that we had no other choice.”
A UK Government spokesperson said: “Associations should set their policies in line with the law. If organisations are uncertain as to how to apply the Equality Act, they should obtain legal advice.”
The Good Law Project has said it has offered legal support to organisations seeking to remain trans-inclusive, and indicated it may challenge policies it considers unlawful.
