11Meaning of the characteristics
(1)This section applies for the interpretation of sections 1, 4 and 9.
(2)A reference to age includes a reference to an age range.
(3)A disability is a physical or mental impairment of any kind.
(4)For the purposes of subsection (3) (but without prejudice to its generality), a medical condition which has, has had, or may have a substantial or long-term effect, or is of a progressive nature, is to be regarded as amounting to an impairment.
(5)A group defined by reference to religion is a group of persons defined by reference to—
(a)religious belief or lack of religious belief,
(b)membership of or adherence to a church or religious organisation,
(c)support for the culture or traditions of a church or religious organisation,
(d)participation in activities associated with such a culture or such traditions.
(6)A reference to sexual orientation is a reference to sexual orientation towards—
(a)persons of the same sex,
(b)persons of a different sex, or
(c)both persons of the same sex and persons of a different sex.
(7)A person is a member of a group defined by reference to transgender identity if the person is—
(a)a female-to-male transgender person,
(b)a male-to-female transgender person,
(c)a non-binary person,
(d)a person who cross-dresses,
and references to transgender identity are to be construed accordingly.
(8)A person is a member of a group defined by reference to variations in sex characteristics if the person is born with physical and biological sex characteristics which, taken as a whole, are neither—
(a)those typically associated with males, nor
(b)those typically associated with females,
and references to variations in sex characteristics are to be construed accordingly.