Sex, Gender, and a Changing Room: The Tribunal Rocking the NHS
With women’s rights groups rallying behind her and NHS Fife clinging to progressive policy, Sandie Peggie’s tribunal isn’t just a battle over workplace conduct, it’s a referendum on whether sex-based boundaries still hold in Britain’s public institutions.
Sandie Peggie, a seasoned A&E nurse at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, is squaring off against NHS Fife and transgender doctor Beth Upton in a contentious employment tribunal that’s got everyone talking. The row kicked off on Christmas Eve 2023, when Peggie, a 30-year veteran, clashed with Upton, a biological male identifying as female, over sharing the women’s changing room. Now, it’s a full-blown legal battle over harassment, discrimination, and what “sex” really means under the UK’s Equality Act 2010.
The trouble started in late 2023 when Peggie, who believes biological sex can’t be changed, felt uneasy changing alongside Upton in August and October. Things boiled over in December when Peggie voiced her objections, reportedly referencing high-profile transgender controversies. Upton called it bullying, filing a complaint that labeled the encounter a “hate incident.” NHS Fife hit Peggie with a suspension on January 3, 2024, citing misconduct like misgendering Upton and two shaky patient safety claims, one about Peggie stepping out of a resuscitation unit when Upton entered, another about a “missing patient.” After 18 months, NHS Fife cleared her late last week, with her lawyer, Margaret Gribbon, calling the ordeal “ludicrous” for lack of evidence.
Peggie fired back with a May 2024 tribunal claim, accusing NHS Fife and Upton of sexual harassment for forcing her into a mixed-sex changing room, discriminating against her gender-critical beliefs, and victimizing her for speaking out. The Edinburgh tribunal, which started in February 2025, hit a snag when NHS Fife dragged its feet on documents, pushing the hearing to July 16, 2025 (last Wednesday. A January ruling let Peggie use male pronouns for Upton, though the judge warned against being deliberately offensive. NHS Fife’s attempt to limit the tribunal’s livestream to media was shot down in May after public outcry, keeping the proceedings open.
A bombshell April 2025 Supreme Court ruling, that “sex” in the Equality Act means biological sex, not gender identity, gave Peggie’s case a boost. She’s now demanding NHS Fife bar biological males from women’s spaces. The health board, doubling down on its diversity rules, insists misgendering is harassment. An internal HR email even questioned the patient safety allegations against Peggie, suggesting they were flimsy.
This case is a cultural flashpoint. Peggie’s backers, like For Women Scotland, say it exposes NHS Fife’s obsession with trans inclusivity at the expense of women’s privacy. Critics argue Peggie’s stance fosters a hostile workplace. With the tribunal set to wrap up over 11 days, it’s a showdown that could rewrite rules on single-sex spaces across the UK. Peggie, sidelined by stress since February, is fighting for more than just her job, it’s about principle, and the stakes are sky-high.