The High Court’s decision to overturn the record fine issued to the University of Sussex over free speech concerns may make universities “pause and reassess” equality policy changes made in light of the original ruling, experts say.
A judge ruled last month that the Office for Students (OfS) had acted beyond its powers and with “a closed mind” over alleged breaches of academic freedom at Sussex, and blocked the record-breaking £585,000 fine.
The original ruling concluded that a “chilling effect” had arisen at the university owing to its trans and non-binary equality policy statement, first published in 2018, which led students and staff to “self-censor” to avoid disciplinary action “for expressing lawful views”.
Following the outcome in April 2025, many trans inclusion policies disappeared from university websites, including at the universities of Essex, Exeter and Leeds.
The University of Leeds issued a new trans inclusion policy in May 2025, just a month after the original ruling, and removed commitments to “positively represent trans people” – a phrase that also appeared in Sussex’s equality statement.
