A women's rights advocate has branded Australia "the laughing stock of the world" following a landmark court decision on gender identity.
Sall Grover, the chief executive of women-only app Giggle for Girls, lost her appeal against a 2024 Federal Court ruling that found she unlawfully discriminated against trans woman Roxanne Tickle by excluding her from the platform.
The court also upheld the trans woman's cross-appeal, increasing her damages from AU$10,000 to AU$20,000 and ordering the app founder to pay up to AU$100,000 in legal costs.
Women's Forum Australia chief executive Rachael Wong has now voiced her shock at the ruling - and issued a dire verdict on the state of her nation.
She told Sky News Australia she was "still in shock" at the outcome.
"I don't think any of us thought that it was going to go this way. It's even worse than it was in the last instance," Ms Wong said.
Ms Grover herself also voiced her disappointment shortly after the judgment was delivered.
"I am absolutely devastated," she wrote on social media.
"Men who claim to be women have more rights than actual women in Australia," she said.
The Giggle for Girls app judged that Roxanne Tickle, who was born male, appeared male
|REUTERS
"It is women who are being discriminated against, not the men who claim to be us."
Ms Grover added: "But in a sense, nothing has changed... We will all wake up tomorrow and men will still not be women."
Her app's verification technology judged that Roxanne Tickle, who was born male, appeared male.
The 57-year-old was subsequently removed from the app in September 2021.
Ms Wong argued that Ms Grover should not have been forced to spend four years fighting the case, sacrificing her business and family time in the courts.
TRANS TURMOIL - READ MORE:
Sall Grover (pictured) should not have been forced to spend four years fighting the case, Rachael Wong said
|REUTERS
"Politicians could have stepped in and fixed this on day dot and they haven't," Ms Wong said. "Australia is the laughing stock of the world right now."
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson declared she was "disgusted" by the court's decision.
"It flies in the face of biological reality and strips rights from women," she wrote in a statement.
"I condemn this appalling decision and I commend Sall Grover for refusing to give up the fight on behalf of Australian women everywhere. I hope she takes this to the High Court and I wish her every success in doing so."
Ms Grover has indicated she intends to pursue the matter before Australia's highest court - though Ms Wong maintained that she shouldn't have to continue the legal battle.
PICTURED: A gender-critical protester backs Sall Grover outside the Federal Court
|REUTERS
The judgment from Justice Melissa Perry, Justice Wendy Abraham and Justice Geoffrey Kennett was delivered on Friday afternoon.
Ms Tickle's cross-appeal challenged the original finding that discrimination had been "indirect" rather than "direct".
The court ruled that Ms Grover and Giggle for Girls had engaged in direct discrimination against Ms Tickle.
Judges awarded Ms Tickle $20,000 in damages, with the court noting "aggravating conduct" by Ms Grover.
"Gender identity is defined as meaning gender-related identity and gender-related characteristics, including appearance," Justice Perry told the court.