Reality Matters

    Reality Matters

    Reality Matters wants Australia’s Sex Discrimination Act to clearly define ‘woman’ by sex, based on evidence, so women’s rights are protected.

    Understand the law. Explore the evidence. Decide how you can help, because reality matters.

    Explore the evidenceSign a petition

    Understand the issue

    Why the definition matters

    Who are women's protections meant for? When can a space, service or sport be just for women? And what are children being told about their bodies? Every fact below has a numbered source you can tap to check.

    01 / The change we want

    Define "woman" by sex, and help parents make informed choices

    We want Australia's Sex Discrimination Act to define "woman" by sex, with clear protections for women and girls. We also want parents to get honest, evidence-based information about their children's care. Look at the sources, ask questions, and decide if you want to sign a petition, because reality matters.

    Read common questionsSee the petitions

    02 / What the law says now

    The law protects women, but doesn't say who a woman is

    Australia's Sex Discrimination Act doesn't define the words "woman" or "man". It protects people from unfair treatment because of their sex, and also because of their gender identity.

    In the Tickle v Giggle case, the Full Federal Court found that removing a trans woman from a women-only app was unlawful discrimination under this Act.

    03 / The government's own promise

    Ending violence against women starts with knowing who women are

    The Australian Government's National Plan aims to end violence against women and children in one generation.

    In Australia, 1 in 5 women have experienced sexual violence since age 15, and 93% of people police dealt with for sexual offences in 2023-24 were male.

    What we think

    A government can't protect women while it can't say who a woman is. When the law lets a man be a woman, it tells men that their wishes count for more than women's rights, even on the question of who is a woman.

    04 / Fairness in sport

    A male body in women's sport changes the result

    The performance gap between males and females opens up at puberty and is often 10 to 50%, depending on the sport. Lowering testosterone only removes a small part of the strength and muscle advantage.

    One record lists more than 1,500 male athletes in female sport, who have taken over 6,900 first places and 1,300 women's awards.

    What the law says

    The law allows sport to be split by sex where strength, stamina or body size make a difference (section 42). It doesn't apply to children under 12, or to coaching, refereeing or running the sport.

    What we think

    Women's sport should be for female athletes. Defining "woman" by sex would make that clear.

    05 / Children and gender medicine

    You can't change sex. Children deserve the truth.

    The biology

    Sex is set at conception, and every cell in the body has a sex. Hormones and surgery can change how a body looks, but not its sex.

    The risks

    England's independent Cass Review found the evidence for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in young people was remarkably weak. It noted concerns about bone density, fertility and long-term effects that are still unknown.

    A long-term Swedish study of adults after sex reassignment surgery found much higher rates of death, suicide attempts and psychiatric care than in the general population.

    Other countries are turning back

    Finland (2020) made talking therapy the first treatment for young people.

    Sweden (2022) limited hormone treatment for young people to exceptional cases.

    Norway's health investigators (2023) found the evidence was not good enough.

    England (2024) stopped routinely prescribing puberty blockers for gender distress.

    Australia's children's hospital clinics still mostly follow an "affirming" approach, and referrals have soared, from 0 to 2 a year in Melbourne until 2009 to 821 in 2021.

    What we think

    Telling children they can change sex is not true, and it is causing harm. Gender ideology pushes parents to affirm procedures that reject their child's sex. That harm can last for the rest of a child's life. Other countries are pulling back, but Australia is still putting women and girls at risk.

    Where can parents turn?

    If you feel your doctors won't talk openly about other options, you are not alone, and you are allowed to ask questions. You can take your time, ask for a second opinion, and look for a therapist who explores all of your child's needs, not just one answer.

    This is general information, not medical advice. Please talk to a doctor you trust.

    06 / More real questions

    Safety, privacy & women-only spaces

    When can a space or service be just for women?

    The law says you can't treat people unfairly because of their sex, including when offering services or housing. It also allows some measures that help women catch up or stay safe (sections 7D, 22 and 23). Whether a women-only space is allowed depends on why it exists and the details, not just its name.

    See more sources

    Single-sex services

    Is every women-only service allowed?

    The law allows a service to be for one sex only when, by its nature, it can only be offered to one sex (section 32). This is a narrow rule. It doesn't automatically cover every service that calls itself women-only.

    See more sources
    Sources (18)
    1. [1] Sex Discrimination Act 1984, Compilation No. 47. Federal Register of Legislation, 2025. Official.
    2. [2] Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does Sex Matter?. Institute of Medicine (US), 2001. Official.
    3. [3] Transgender Women in the Female Category of Sport: Perspectives on Testosterone Suppression and Performance Advantage. Hilton & Lundberg, Sports Medicine, 2021. Peer-reviewed study.
    4. [4] Totals: male participation in female sport. He Cheated, 2026. Campaign group.
    5. [5] Independent review of gender identity services for children and young people: Final report. The Cass Review, commissioned by NHS England, 2024. Official.
    6. [6] Clinical policy: puberty suppressing hormones. NHS England, 2024. Official.
    7. [7] Care of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria: Summary of national guidelines. Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, 2022. Official.
    8. [8] Summary of a recommendation by COHERE Finland on gender dysphoria in minors. Council for Choices in Health Care in Finland, 2020. Official.
    9. [9] Patient safety for children and young people with gender incongruence. Norwegian Healthcare Investigation Board (Ukom), 2023. Official.
    10. [10] Long-term follow-up of transsexual persons undergoing sex reassignment surgery: cohort study in Sweden. Dhejne et al., PLoS ONE, 2011. Peer-reviewed study.
    11. [11] What went wrong?. Gender Clinic News, 2025. Journalism.
    12. [12] Shine a light on youth gender medicine. Gender Clinic News, 2023. Journalism.
    13. [13] Personal Safety, Australia, 2021-22. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023. Official.
    14. [14] Sexual violence, 2021-22. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023. Official.
    15. [15] Sexual offenders proceeded against by police, 2023-24. Australian Institute of Criminology, 2025. Official.
    16. [16] National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032. Department of Social Services, Australian Government, 2022. Official.
    17. [17] Full Federal Court finds two acts of direct discrimination in Giggle v Tickle appeal. Australian Human Rights Commission, 2025. Official.
    18. [18] Protect women and girls in sport (petition). Women's Forum Australia, 2026. Campaign group.

    Checked against the official version of the law (updated 1 November 2025). This is general information, not legal or medical advice. State laws and individual organisations' rules can differ.

    The issue in numbers

    What happens when sex isn't counted

    Figures come from the organisations named. Check the source for full details.

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