The hearing, held before employment judge Melanie Sangster in Dundee, marks the latest legal battle for Peggie, who says a union representative dismissed her concerns after she was placed on special leave for objecting to sharing a women’s changing facility with junior doctor Dr Beth Upton.
Peggie testified that she felt the RCN’s representative, Stuart Fraser, “wasn’t taking it as seriously as I was” and that his advice left her feeling discriminated against for her gender‑critical beliefs.
During cross‑examination, Peggie acknowledged that she had compared Dr Upton’s use of the female changing room to a male inmate being placed in a women’s prison, referencing the high‑profile case of Isla Bryson, a transgender woman convicted of raping two women.
The tribunal previously ruled in Peggie’s favour on a harassment claim against NHS Fife in December 2023, while dismissing her allegations of discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation against the health board.
Peggie’s current claim alleges that the RCN failed to advise her of a legal claim in January 2024, refused her request for legal support in January 2025, and did not advocate for single‑sex changing facilities, constituting direct discrimination based on her gender‑critical and “sex realist” views.
The Royal College of Nursing has denied the allegations, stating that it does not discriminate against members for their beliefs.
Support for Peggie has come from several gender‑critical groups and public figures, including author J.K. Rowling, highlighting the case’s prominence in the broader debate over transgender rights in the UK.
The tribunal is ongoing, and a judgment on the RCN’s alleged discrimination is pending.