A transgender woman from Australia has won a discrimination case against a women-only social media app, after she was denied access on the basis of being male.

The Federal Court found that although Roxanne Tickle had not been directly discriminated against, she was a victim of indirect discrimination - which refers to when a decision disadvantages a person with a particular attribute - and ordered the app to pay her A$10,000 ($6,700; £5,100) plus costs.

It’s a landmark ruling when it comes to gender identity, and at the very heart of the case was the ever more contentious question: what is a woman?

In 2021, Tickle downloaded “Giggle for Girls”, an app marketed as an online refuge where women could share their experiences in a safe space, and where men were not allowed.

  • @[email protected]
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    1125 days ago

    I’m not saying it was a dating website? I’m saying wouldn’t the exact same thing apply to dating sites??

    • @Dkarma
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      -225 days ago

      Not even remotely. Are dating sites for men or women only?

      Did u even think this thru? Lol

      • @[email protected]
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        625 days ago

        Some are, yes.

        Here are some dating apps run by Match Group that you could call discriminatory (owners of tinder, okcupid and hinge):

        • Asian People Meet
        • Black Christian People Meet
        • GenX People Meet
        • Black Professional People Meet
        • Little People Meet
        • Chinese People Meet
        • @[email protected]OP
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          -2025 days ago

          Well obviously you weren’t the judge so maybe you don’t know all the facts that were presented in court.

          Besides, a dating website is much different than a website one goes to find friends of the same gender.

          • @[email protected]
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            1125 days ago

            Are you not capable of reading your own article?

            Australia’s interpretation of the law in a case that got this level of media attention is likely to have global repercussions.