So Girlguiding does have lawyers, and if these are competent should know that what you describe isn't the case. However, Girlguiding very, very clearly either don't understand or refuse to comply with the Equality Act. I saw multiple girls subject to disability discrimination. One parent complained and the response definitely showed the above. They refused to make reasonable adjustments. They thought all that discrimination meant was treating everybody the same - that isn't what discrimination is. For example, giving a blind child instructions written down and saying that isn't discrimination because you gave all the other children written instructions and refusing to, for example, read them to the child - is bollocks.
I saw a Tweet from EHRC pulling Girlguiding up on them misquoting the EA. Girlguiding claimed to post the protected characteristics protected under the EA, yet changed them to suit their own agenda. They literally changed the law and pretended it was actually the law. twitter.com/EHRC/status/1045277847336747008
I'm pretty sure @agnesbadenpowell presented a counsel opinion to Girlguiding about the matter and they chose to ignore it.
If you're wondering about if Girlguiding is really anti-discrimination, here's some quotes from their own audit. It seems trans inclusion is all they really care about in terms of equality.
"A Ranger was called the n-word in a unit meeting";
"A Rainbow was told by another girl that she didn’t want to hold her hand because she is dirty (referencing her skin colour). The parent was too worried about backlash to raise this with the leader. The same girl was kicked by a different girl using a racial slur towards her."
"One girl was excluded from a group because they didn’t know how to deal with diabetes. They said it’s a medical condition, we can’t deal with it.” – disabled volunteer
“I experienced exclusion from my unit multiple times because of my disability. I have been told not to go on trips because it is not safe enough.“ – disabled Ranger
“One leader made jokes about my disability – she kept calling me slow-processing.” – disabled Ranger.
“The new programme is very prescribed and set, there is no ability to support children who cannot partake in these skills or activities.” – disabled volunteer
“Activities are planned without considering the safety and ability of people with disabilities to partake in them.” – disabled Ranger
“I wish I could be more part of influencing what Girlguiding is doing. I feel sometimes our voice doesn’t count.” – disabled Ranger
"A few participants reported witnessing that prospective volunteers are not called back or told in their first unit meeting not to attend again because they don’t fit in the organisation."
"A few disabled Rangers stated that their main challenge when joining Girlguiding was the lack of diversity and knowledge/sensitivity around disabilities, as well as inaccessible activities planned by groups."
"A disabled Ranger said that they have experienced aggression from leaders, that leaders wouldn’t listen to their needs and that the leaders were then offended when participants wanted to change units."
"A disabled Ranger felt isolated, because other girls started ignoring her and the leader didn’t intervene: “It made me feel very excluded, like they don’t want me there.”
"A disabled volunteer was told multiple times not to come to unit meetings because they were not “the right fit”. Another disabled volunteer was told she couldn’t do the leader’s training because she wasn’t “fit to do so”."
"Some disabled staff fear that they might be first in line to be made redundant because of their disability."
“Currently the emotional labour to educate peers and input in policies is resting on those members with lived experience of exclusion and discrimination.” – disabled young leader
“I am feeling confident in advising others on certain disabilities but basic training for greater inclusivity and also awareness on matters beyond (dis)ability should be mandatory” – disabled volunteer
"Volunteers report no or inadequate guidance from HQ on EDI issues and feel it is down to individuals to address inequalities. There is a general sense of lack of support in how to protect girls from discrimination or when working with people who experience marginalisation, in particular regarding disability and trans inclusion. Volunteers are uncertain who to contact for support."
"Most volunteers want a centralised point of contact to get best practice on EDI issues."
"A disabled volunteer mentioned not having received any replies from HQ employees when making suggestions on inclusivity and assisting with disabled volunteers."
"A LGBT volunteer mentioned that someone raised a complaint against her and her partner for being LGBT trying to get her excluded from activities. She said that she didn’t receive any support from HQ in handling this"
"Many staff of colour were surprised that they were not interviewed or consulted when an incidence of racism was investigated. While the conclusion of the investigation was communicated with the organisation, many staff participants mentioned a lack of trust in the process."
"In general, a lack of transparency and uncertainty around the process of how complaints are dealt with in Girlguiding as a workplace have been communicated."
“Many parents don’t disclose if their child has accessibility requirements, because they are scared we just wouldn’t take their child then."
“There should be compulsory targets for each district and division to implement greater diversity and inclusion measures. All leaders should be aware what they should do and how. You are not in Girlguiding unless you are a fundamentally good person but people need to be taught what they are doing wrong.” – disabled volunteer