Sandie Peggie has a partial win

December 11, 2025

Nurse Sandie Peggie has had a partial win against her employer, NHS Fife, and Dr Upton, a male who identifies as female. 

The judgement handed down this week states Peggie was in fact harassed by her employer and was criticised for not handling her complaint appropriately. 

Sandie Peggie was forced to undress in front of a male doctor who identifies as female, yet she faced disciplinary action, rather than the male doctor, when she made a complaint.

Sex Matters, a UK organisation defending and promoting female sex based rights, said it was disappointing that the tribunal stated Peggie should have considered Upton’s feelings because he is protected under gender identity provisions.

The idea that a woman finding herself unexpectedly or unwantedly in a “female” changing room with a man must consider questions of human rights or the protected characteristics in the 2010 Equality Act is ridiculous and unworkable. 

The way that an employer should protect both of their rights is to set clear rules about whether spaces are single sex or mixed sex.

The case demonstrates that employers with ambiguous policies are putting themselves in legal jeopardy. But the tribunal has failed to provide them with the clarity they need in order to be confident that they can simply and clearly say No to men who want to use women’s spaces.

It is a travesty that a woman can be judged as having expressed herself in the wrong way when she objects to finding a man in the women’s changing room. It should never come down to a question of “he said, she said”; there should simply be clear rules that protect women’s privacy and dignity.

After the judgment Peggie said she was relieved and will share more soon.

“I am beyond relieved and delighted that the Tribunal has found that my employer Fife Health Board harassed me after I complained about having to share a female only changing room with a male colleague.

“The last 2 years have been agonising for me and my family. I will have much more to say in the coming days once I’ve been able to properly consider the lengthy judgment and discuss it with my legal team. For now, I am looking forward to spending a quiet few days with my family.”

It is utterly appalling that women are being gaslit and forced into unacceptable situations for the sake of men who wish they were women. No woman should have to endure court proceedings for speaking truthfully about such men, or for objecting to these men in her spaces, services or sport.