online opt-in
YouGov
YouGov / Sex Matters Survey Results (December 2024) · Dec 18–19, 2024 · UK national
Methodology
- Pollster
- YouGov commercial
- Sponsor
- Sex Matters
- Commissioned by
- Sex Matters
- Fielded
- Dec 18–19, 2024
- Population
- adults
- Sample size
- 2,533
- Sample frame
- online opt-in
- Panel
- YouGov Plc GB panel
- Mode
- online - YouGov GB panel
- Margin of error
- not disclosed
- Weighting
- weighted to be representative of all GB adults aged 18+
- Geography
- UK national
Sources
Verification note. Wording and figures read directly from the YouGov data tables PDF. The Sex Matters write-up says the poll was 'conducted on 19th December 2024'; the tables themselves state fieldwork 18th-19th December 2024, which is used here. Sex Matters states these items repeat a YouGov poll of May 2022 using identical wording, but the 2022 tables were not retrieved in this session. Fielded four months BEFORE the April 2025 Supreme Court ruling, so it is the pre-ruling baseline for the May 2025 wave.
Figures below are transcribed from these documents. Where they disagree with the source, the source governs.
Questions asked (7)
transgender women in women's sporting events
In the following questions a transgender woman is someone who was biologically male at birth, but now identifies as a woman. A transgender man is someone who was biologically female at birth, but now identifies as a man.
Do you think transgender women should or should not be allowed to... Take part in women's sporting events?
Should be allowed 11%74% Should not be allowed
Wording notes: preamble defines transgender woman as 'biologically male at birth' | permission framing ('should or should not be allowed')
tilts_restrictive — 'should be allowed' framing positions trans women as seeking permission to enter a space they are presumptively outside of, and the preamble foregrounds birth sex
Subgroup figures (21)
transgender women in women's changing rooms
In the following questions a transgender woman is someone who was biologically male at birth, but now identifies as a woman. A transgender man is someone who was biologically female at birth, but now identifies as a man.
Do you think transgender women should or should not be allowed to... Use women's changing rooms?
Should be allowed 27%56% Should not be allowed
Wording notes: permission framing
tilts_restrictive — same permission framing and birth-sex preamble as the sport item
Subgroup figures (12)
transgender women in women's toilets
In the following questions a transgender woman is someone who was biologically male at birth, but now identifies as a woman. A transgender man is someone who was biologically female at birth, but now identifies as a man.
Do you think transgender women should or should not be allowed to... Use women's toilets?
Should be allowed 33%51% Should not be allowed
Wording notes: permission framing
tilts_restrictive — same permission framing and birth-sex preamble
Subgroup figures (12)
transgender women in women's rape and assault refuges
In the following questions a transgender woman is someone who was biologically male at birth, but now identifies as a woman. A transgender man is someone who was biologically female at birth, but now identifies as a man.
Do you think transgender women should or should not be allowed to... Use women's refuges for victims of rape or assault (if they are a victim themselves)?
Should be allowed 31%47% Should not be allowed
Wording notes: permission framing | parenthetical stipulates the trans woman is herself a victim
tilts_restrictive — permission framing and birth-sex preamble, though the parenthetical about being a victim cuts the other way
Subgroup figures (12)
transgender women without gender reassignment surgery in women's changing rooms
Some transgender people have gender reassignment surgery. This is surgery by which a transgender person's physical attributes are altered to match the gender they identify with (e.g. breast and genital surgery).
Do you think a transgender woman who has not had gender reassignment surgery should or should not be allowed to... Use women's changing rooms?
Should be allowed 20%62% Should not be allowed
Wording notes: surgical-status split explicitly primed by the preamble | permission framing
tilts_restrictive — the preamble draws attention to genitalia immediately before asking about changing rooms, which predictably depresses support relative to the unconditioned item
Subgroup figures (12)
transgender women without gender reassignment surgery in women's toilets
Some transgender people have gender reassignment surgery. This is surgery by which a transgender person's physical attributes are altered to match the gender they identify with (e.g. breast and genital surgery).
Do you think a transgender woman who has not had gender reassignment surgery should or should not be allowed to... Use women's toilets?
Should be allowed 26%58% Should not be allowed
Wording notes: surgical-status split explicitly primed by the preamble | permission framing
tilts_restrictive — as above; the surgery preamble is a directional prime
Subgroup figures (12)
redefining 'sex' in the Equality Act to mean biological sex
The Equality Act protects people against discrimination based on protected characteristics, which include sex. There is debate over how "sex" in the Equality Act is defined, and whether it means biological sex (that is, people's biological sex at birth) or includes transgender people who have legally changed their sex. Would you support or oppose changing the Equality Act so that sex is defined as meaning "biological sex"?
Wording notes: states the dispute in both directions before asking
neutral — the stem sets out both readings of 'sex' before asking and the response scale is symmetric; the preceding battery is nonetheless a restrictive-leaning context
Subgroup figures (33)