The Welcome List

The Welcome List: Pride in Action

Belper is a town rooted in community and welcome. Following the UK Supreme Court ruling in April 2025 on the interpretation of the terms “woman” and “sex” within the Equality Act 2010, many Trans and non-binary people have been left feeling anxious, excluded and uncertain.

In response, Pride in Belper is choosing visibility, kindness and action.

We’ve created the Pride in Belper Welcome List, a growing network of over 50 local businesses, groups and organisations committed to creating environments where people are treated with dignity and respect.

The list includes shops, cafés, pubs, hairdressers, venues and organisations across Belper and the surrounding area that have chosen to make that commitment visible.

Businesses, groups and organisations joining the Welcome List receive:

• A Pride in Belper Welcome List window image (digital) and/or sticker
• A Welcome List pledge to display publicly (digital or physical)
• A support booklet with practical guidance and useful contacts (digital or physical)

This initiative is about more than a sticker in the window or an image on your website. It is about helping you demonstrate your commitment to kindness, respect and inclusion.

What Does the Ruling Mean?

The Equality Act 2010 continues to protect people from discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment, alongside the other protected characteristics.

Following the April 2025 Supreme Court ruling, the legal interpretation of the terms “sex”, “man” and “woman” within parts of the Equality Act changed to refer to biological sex.

However, Trans people still retain legal protections against discrimination and harassment.

Regardless of ongoing legal and political debates, communities and businesses can still choose to be welcoming and respectful.

Why Now?

For many people, the public conversation surrounding the ruling is painful and deeply personal. At times like this, silence can feel loud.

The Welcome List is a simple but visible way for businesses to say:

“You are welcome here.”

There Is Room for Us All

 True inclusion is not a competition. Supporting Trans and non-binary people does not take anything away from cis women or cis men, whose voices, experiences and safety also matter.

By standing alongside one another, we help create a kinder and more connected community.

People will hold different views on these issues, but everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

The Power of Community

The Welcome List reflects the kind of Belper we want to build:

• A place where people look out for one another
• A place where difference is treated with respect
• A place where businesses lead with compassion

Get Involved

If you run a business or organisation and would like to join the Pride in Belper Welcome List, we’d love to hear from you.

info@prideinbelper.co.uk

Together, we are building a Belper where everyone is welcome