An Australian court has allowed a lesbian group to ban trans women from their events. The Federal Court said the Melbourne-based Lesbian Action Group can exclude trans women for five years.

The group wanted an exemption from Australia's Sex Discrimination Act. This law normally stops groups from excluding people based on gender identity. The court battle has been going on for several years.

The Lesbian Action Group runs public events in Melbourne. They argued they should be able to create women-only spaces. The group said this was important for their members' comfort and safety.

Trans rights groups opposed the legal challenge. They said excluding trans women from lesbian events causes harm. Many LGBTQ+ organizations disagreed with the court's decision.

Australia's Sex Discrimination Act protects people from unfair treatment. It covers discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity. Groups can sometimes get exemptions for specific religious or cultural reasons.

The five-year exemption means the group can legally exclude trans women until 2029. Other lesbian organizations in Australia have different policies about including trans women. Some welcome all women while others have similar restrictions.

The court case has divided opinions in Australia's LGBTQ+ community. Some people support women-only spaces while others want full inclusion. Legal experts say the decision could affect other similar cases.

The Lesbian Action Group celebrated the court ruling as a victory. Trans advocacy groups said they were disappointed with the outcome. Both sides may continue fighting about inclusion policies in the future.