A boy in dd’s Guides Unit

Scouting included girls as an alternative to closing down. They enforce single sex spaces on camps so my son (scout) and daughter (cub) are assured of single sex spaces when they need them.
Guides do not offer the same safety, privacy and dignity to the girls in their care, despite their professed concern for girls’ empowerment.

I'm not trying to wind anyone up but I don't think it's fair on boys not to have the same opportunities.

They did have the same opportunities. For years. But it turns out not enough boys were interested in it, to keep it financially viable.

So they were looking at closing it all down, until they decided they might be able to keep it going if they invited girls.

It was either close, or become mixed sex. It wasn't a question of fairness.

It if boys don't want that then it is fair

They are allowed it
But the organisation didn't feel it necessary/enough boys wanted that

OP thinks (oh the naivety...) that Guides is single-sex. Hence the confusion at her dd saying there was a boy there.

I don't know how old the dd is, but I'd assume old enough to correctly identify someone male? (Interestingly females are able to correctly sex people at a very young age, far more so than males can.) So dont gaslight her and say she must be mistaken. Boundaries for children are a good thing.

@AlwaysLatte that's the thing, I think people hear are saying that girls can have the option or cubs, brownies guides and scouts but boys don't have the same options. Just scouts. I'm not trying to wind anyone up but I don't think it's fair on boys not to have the same opportunities.

It doesn't sound like an issue to me. There were girls in my son's Cubs pack

The issue is mixed gender not mixed sex. There are safeguards in place for mixed sex. There aren't for mixed gender. That is an issue.

It doesn't sound like an issue to me. There were girls in my son's Cubs pack 🤷‍♀️

There is also the massive problem of girls being gas lighted to ignore their boundaries and turn the other way, rather than acknowledge what is right in front of them.

Loads of girls go to Scouts and Cubs. You're not allowed to run exclusively "girl" or "boy" clubs anymore as it's discrimination. It probably is a boy.

In which case they are identifying as a girl. Which is potentially a safeguarding problem, particularly when it comes to toilets / sleeping space at residential etc. As a boy identifying as a girl will be sharing those spaces.

Scouts is mixed sex. Thus less of a problems as sleeping spaces / showers / toilets etc will be sex segregated.

I would be concerned if an organisation was trying to tell my daughter not to believe her eyes and that she should pretend a male was not actually a male. If they went swimming or any other activity where they had to change would she be afforded the privacy and dignity she is entitled to? Or would she be told it was wrong to maintain boundaries? If I was sending her there because it was meant to be a female only space then I would not be happy at the misrepresentation.

When girls asked to join the scouts because the guides was too girly / restricted the scouts deemed that the benefit of single sex for boys was not justified

I really don't think this played any part in the decision. It was financial and out of fear that they would have to close.

What would the benefits of Scouting being single sex be anyway? I can't think of any.

Also, there isn’t really a need for a boy’s own safe space where the boys can gain confidence to speak up, without the group being dominated by the noisier girls.

Even if by keeping it boys only there was the real risk that Scouting wouldn't exist? What good would that do?

They are allowed to have single sex male. It's just unsurprising that there is much less demand

Because women and girls have asked for a separate space for girls and this can be granted because of the ongoing discrimination that girls face in a mixed environment

Boys don't face that, but if the scouts wanted to argue no girls as they wanted more space to tackle male health issues for example that could be reasonable

When girls asked to join the scouts because the guides was too girly / restricted the scouts deemed that the benefit of single sex for boys was not justified

I think it was the the wrong decision, if girls have their own clubs then I think boys should have the same.

Lots of clubs are just one sex: the Masons being a big one.

@FruityFiriday because due to falling membership and finances Scouting needed more members so opened it up to girls. Guiding hasn't needed to do that

Can someone please clarify why its OK for girls to join beavers and cubs, but boys shouldn't be guides?

Because if as a parent you are paying for your female child to have the particular access to and benefit of a female only group, with a whole lot in its policy about the benefits of single sex activities and experiences and why they matter for female children, and in fact it is mixed sex but the illusion is being maintained that it isn't.....?

Yes, it's a concern. Particularly as it's well known now that this is a situation parents who wanted single sex opportunities for their children may encounter without honesty about it.

I don't think I'd give it a second thought. It's not really any of your business. It's made quite clear by guiding UK that they welcome transgirls (whether you happen to agree with that or not)

I'm not new, I have been here for years. I'm also not telling OP she shouldn't have concerns if there is a trans person in the group. I'm asking why it's the first assumption made.