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Story summary
At an employment tribunal in Scotland, nurse Sandie Peggie testified that she faced discrimination from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) due to her gender-critical beliefs. In 2023, Peggie was suspended by NHS Fife after objecting to sharing a changing room with Dr. Beth Upton, a trans woman who identifies as female. The RCN did not provide adequate support when Peggie sought help during the dispute with her employer. Another witness, nurse Jennifer Melle, testified that after facing patient abuse for using biological pronouns, she received little help from the RCN and was later referred to the nursing regulator. Both nurses argue that the RCN's stance on gender ideology prevented them from receiving fair support. The tribunal heard evidence that the RCN has no official position on the debate between concepts of gender ideology versus biological sex but appears biased toward supporting trans rights, leading some members to feel abandoned.
Written for “Sandie Peggie Tribunal Hearing” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
A union representative has said Sandie Peggie was suspended because of her conduct, not because of her sex and gender beliefs, a tribunal has heard.
asserted
tribunal → say → beliefs
The first employment tribunal awarded Ms Peggie a partial victory against the health board in December last year, upholding claims of harassment against her employer, but dismissing allegations of discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation.
uncertain
tribunal → award → discrimination
Read More
Ms Peggie has now brought the legal case against the RCN over what she claims was direct discrimination over her gender-critical beliefs, saying it had failed to adequately support her during a dispute with her employer.
uncertain
it → read → employer
She is seeking a finding that the union discriminated against her because of her gender-critical and sex realist beliefs.
asserted
union → seek → beliefs
The RCN denies the claims.
uncertain
RCN → deny → claims
Responding to questions from Ms Peggie’s barrister Naomi Cunningham, Mr Fraser said he did not believe she had been suspended because of her gender critical beliefs, but because of her conduct.
asserted
she → respond → conduct
Ms Cunningham argued that Ms Peggie believed Dr Upton should not have been allowed to use the women’s changing rooms, and she said that was a “protected belief” that Ms Peggie should be allowed to express.
asserted
Peggie → argue → that
“I believed (Ms Peggie) was entitled to have that view,” Mr Fraser told the tribunal.
asserted
Fraser → believe → tribunal
The union representative said the nurse’s beliefs were “not what sparked the NHS Fife review”, but rather “how those beliefs manifested”.
asserted
beliefs → say → review
During a back and forth exchange, Ms Cunningham suggested that it “didn’t occur” to Mr Fraser that there might be a claim against Dr Upton because “everything in RCN training and culture told (him) that trans women are women and had a right to be in that room”.
uncertain
women → suggest → room
Ms Cunningham also suggested that the “whole culture of the RCN is one of profound indulgence towards claims of trans-identifying men”.
uncertain
culture → suggest → men
Mr Fraser said it was his understanding that transgender individuals could use the facilities with which they identify, based on guidance from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
uncertain
they → say → Rights
Regarding claims that the RCN was “indulgent” towards trans-identifying men, Mr Fraser said it was his experience that “nurses tend to be more replaceable than doctors”, which he indicated may have played a part in Ms Peggie’s dispute.
uncertain
he → regard → dispute
The tribunal also heard from RCN officer Gillian Tait, who was involved in Ms Peggie’s case after Mr Fraser.
asserted
who → hear → Fraser
Asked for her own beliefs around sex and gender, Ms Tait said that they “align with the Supreme Court rules” – referring to the For Women Scotland case on the definition of a woman under equalities law.
asserted
they → ask → law
Responding to questions from Ms Cunningham, Ms Tait said the union is inclusive and she was “not aware that the RCN had signed up to gender ideology”.
asserted
RCN → respond → ideology
Ms Cunningham said Ms Peggie had asked the RCN for public backing of her case, which the union withheld.
asserted
union → say → which
Ms Tait denied that she withheld this, saying the union had partnership working arrangements with health boards.
asserted
union → deny → boards
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