The European Parliament has voted 340–141 to back a resolution that explicitly calls for “the full recognition of trans women as women,” and says their inclusion is essential for real gender equality and anti‑violence policies. The same text urges equal access for trans women to shelters, support services and funding across the EU – and knocks back an amendment claiming “only biological women” can be pregnant.
THIS ARTICLE AT A GLANCE
- Recognition of trans women for effective gender equality and anti‑violence policies across the EU.
- It urges equal access for trans women to shelters and support services for gender‑based violence.
- A proposed amendment stating “only biological women can become pregnant” was voted down.
- The resolution does not change national laws directly but sets a strong political benchmark for trans‑inclusive policy.
- The European Parliament passed a nonbinding resolution in February 2026 affirming that trans women are women.
Full article estimated read time: 4 minutes.
The European Parliament adopted a resolution setting out the European Union’s priorities for next month’s UN Commission on the Status of Women, and it could not be clearer on trans women. The text, approved by 340 votes to 141 with 68 abstentions, “emphasises the importance of the full recognition of trans women as women,” and says their inclusion is essential for gender equality and anti‑violence policies to work.
The same paragraph calls for “recognition of and equal access for trans women to protection and support services,” including shelters and other gender‑based violence services. In practical terms, the Parliament is telling EU governments that any serious women’s rights agenda must include trans women in funding, service design and reporting.
The resolution stresses that including trans women is “essential for the effectiveness of any gender‑equality and anti‑violence policies.”
The vote formed part of a broader package of recommendations on “gender equality and women’s empowerment,” which also framed denial of safe and legal abortion as gender‑based violence and a breach of fundamental rights. A proposed amendment stating that “only biological women can become pregnant” was rejected, with 233 members voting it down.
Queer media and advocates have described the resolution as a strong political signal amid rising anti‑trans rhetoric across parts of Europe and beyond. Journalist Erin Reed called the vote “a significant shot at those who seek to erode transgender rights on the continent,” noting that it sets a public benchmark for how the EU should talk about gender and inclusion on the world stage.
The Parliament’s stance puts the EU on a “direct collision course” with governments pushing anti‑trans agendas at the UN, according to reporting on the vote.
Conservative and far‑right politicians condemned the move, attacking references to gender identity and abortion in the text. One Romanian MEP labelled the resolution “insane,” while others framed it as part of what they call “gender ideology.” Despite that pushback, the majority held – including much of the main centre‑right bloc – underlining how mainstream support for trans‑inclusive language has become in key parts of the EU.
Legally, the resolution does not change rights overnight: it is not binding on member states, and national laws on gender recognition, healthcare and discrimination still vary widely. Politically, though, it matters. Parliament resolutions are often used by activists and policymakers as leverage when arguing for reforms at the domestic level, and they help set the tone for EU diplomacy, funding and future equality strategies.
For trans communities watching from Australia, it is another reminder that global norms are shifting, even as backlash grows. When one of the world’s biggest democratic institutions says plainly that trans women are women – and that excluding them undermines efforts to end gender‑based violence – it gives our communities, and our allies, something concrete to point to the next time someone claims otherwise.
