Australian Court Upholds Transgender Woman’s Discrimination Claim

Why this is here: Giggle for Girls and its founder, Sall Grover, must pay Roxanne Tickle A$20,000, along with up to A$100,000 to cover her legal costs.

The Full Federal Court of Australia ruled in favor of Roxanne Tickle, doubling damages against the Giggle for Girls app and its founder, Sall Grover. Tickle successfully argued that the app’s blocking of her account constituted direct discrimination based on her gender identity. A previous ruling in 2024 found indirect discrimination occurred.

The court determined Giggle and Grover treated Tickle differently than a cisgender woman. Justice Melissa Perry stated they treated her “less favourably than a woman designated female at birth.” Grover had argued that sex at birth is unchanging and no discrimination took place, but the court disagreed, finding sex can change.

Tickle will receive A$20,000 (about $14,350) plus up to A$100,000 in legal costs. Grover intends to appeal the decision to the High Court of Australia. The case legally tested gender identity protections added to the Sex Discrimination Act in 2013, and the court affirmed broad application of those protections.