The King's Trust has opted to scrap a boxing and fitness programme aimed at disadvantaged young women in Bristol rather than limit participation to biological females.
The charity, founded by King Charles in 1976, was set to deliver a free course for women aged 16 to 25 who are not currently in employment, education or training.
However, after a parent raised safeguarding concerns about the programme's eligibility criteria, which permitted "female identifying/presenting" individuals to take part, the organisation chose to withdraw the offering entirely.
Women's rights campaigners have reacted with anger to the decision, calling on the King's flagship youth charity to restore the course so that young women from disadvantaged backgrounds can access its benefits.
King's Trust scraps boxing programme for 'female identifying' individuals after parents outraged
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The five-day programme, titled "Get started with Boxing and Fitness for Women," had been scheduled to run from February 23 to 27 in Bristol, according to the course webpage, which has since been removed.
Participants would have gained a qualification while building confidence and developing their strengths through the boxing-focused training.
Upon discovering the course's inclusion criteria, a parent contacted the charity expressing alarm at the potential consequences.
In their correspondence, they warned that the policy could permit a 25-year-old biological male to engage in boxing with teenage girls.
The boxing course was originally launched by King's Trust ambassador Nicola Adams
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According to the Mail, the parent wrote: "Not only is it unfair on women and girls who want to take part and might miss out on participation because a man takes their place, it is also unsafe to allow biological males to box with/against girls and women and share their spaces including changing rooms and toilets."
Women's rights organisations have demanded the charity reverse its decision and reinstate the programme.
Su Wong from SEEN in Sport, a campaign group advocating for single-sex women's sports, accused the charity of preferring to "deny young women the chance of participating at all than possibly offend someone."
She added: "The King's Trust does incredible work but it needs to ensure that everyone throughout the charity understands that you should not use ideological language and you cannot discriminate against women and girls."
Transgender people and their supporters staged a protest march in Westminster in support of trans rights following the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling that the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex
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Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at Sex Matters, described the situation as "outrageous," stating it "shouldn't have taken a Supreme Court judgment" to prevent biological males from being permitted "to punch women for sport."
Ms Joyce argued the charity "would rather remove opportunities for young women to keep fit than tell men who identify as women that their identity doesn't give them the right to punch women."
The Supreme Court ruled nearly a year ago, in April 2025, that the definition of sex within the Equality Act refers to biological males and females rather than self-identification or possession of a gender recognition certificate.
In response to the parents' complaint, a King's Trust employee stated in an email: "In recognition of the decision of the Supreme Court, and the specific nature of the activity that this programme offers, we have taken the decision to withdraw it as an offer to young people."
King Charles III stands with Declan Donnelly and other celebrities and winners of the King's Trust Awards 2025
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The charity confirmed it had pulled the course while reviewing its programmes in light of the landmark ruling.
The boxing initiative was originally launched by Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams, a King's Trust ambassador who has publicly supported keeping women's sports restricted to biological females.
GB News has contacted the King's Trust for comment.