The European Court of Justice ruled that the U.S. government engaged in "direct discrimination based on sex" | John Thys/AFP via Getty Images UK wrong to deny transgender woman state pension, EU court rules Judges said British law constituted ‘direct discrimination based on sex.’

The U.K. government discriminated against a transgender woman when she was denied receiving her state pension upon reaching age 60, the European Court of Justice ruled Tuesday.

The woman, identified as MB, who was born male in 1948, began living as a woman in 1991 and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 1995. She applied to receive her state pension in 2008 at age 60 — the legal age for women born before April 6, 1950 — but was denied her request because she had not annulled her marriage, which was required for her to receive a full certificate of gender change recognition.

As a result MB, who said she decided to remain married to her wife due to religious reasons, was told she could not be treated as a woman and must therefore wait until age 65, the age at which U.K. men who were born before December 6, 1953 may apply for state pensions.

The court ruled that MB's rejection constituted "direct discrimination based on sex," arguing that a person who has changed gender should not be required to annul their marriage to gain access to a state pension at "the age provided for persons of the sex which he or she has acquired."

The court further said that the U.K. law treats transgender individuals who have transitioned after they marry "less favourably" than it treats those who keep their gender at birth and are married.

MB's lawyers Jacqueline Mulryne and Chris Stothers said in a statement the win was of "great importance in the move towards increased equality and respect."