Federal Court Upholds Giggle Bias Ruling, Doubles Tickle Damages to $20,000
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 15
Federal Court Upholds Giggle Bias Ruling, Doubles Tickle Damages to $20,000
10 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 15
Sydney's full Federal Court upheld the 2024 ruling against Giggle for Girls and founder Sall Grover, and raised Roxanne Tickle's damages to A$20,000 plus costs of up to A$100,000.
Judges found two acts of direct discrimination under the Sex Discrimination Act: Tickle was excluded after a selfie-based registration check and later refused readmission because of her gender-related appearance.
Grover had argued the app was a women-only "special measure" allowed to address historical disadvantage, but the court rejected that defense and affirmed protections for gender identity.
Filed in 2022 over Tickle's 2021 exclusion, the case is the first gender-identity discrimination matter to reach Australia's Federal Court and is being watched for its implications beyond apps, including public spaces and sport.
Equality Australia called the ruling a significant win for trans Australians, while Grover's team is crowdfunding for a potential High Court challenge.
Why did a 'women-only' app's safety policy lead to a landmark legal battle?
When does creating a 'safe space' for women become illegal discrimination in Australia?
Australia’s 2026 Tickle v Giggle Ruling: Federal Court Doubles Damages, Sets Precedent for Trans Inclusion in Women’s Spaces
Overview
The Full Federal Court’s ruling in the Tickle v Giggle case marked a turning point for anti-discrimination law in Australia. The Court found that Roxanne Tickle was directly discriminated against when excluded from the women-only Giggle app, rejecting the argument that 'sex' is fixed at birth and affirming that both legal sex and gender identity are protected under the Sex Discrimination Act. This decision not only doubled Tickle’s compensation but also clarified that services for 'women' cannot exclude transgender women, prompting the app’s shutdown and sparking wider debate about the definition of 'woman' and trans inclusion in Australian society.