To feel weird about Brownies because there’s a boy there?

[ElizaDolittle124]

Was invited to Brownies tonight to see my daughter do her ‘promise’. Was a bit awkward as it turns out there’s a boy in the group. Another parent turned up with a younger sibling who immediately said loudly ‘mummy why is there a boy here?’ The mum was v flustered trying to explain he wanted to join in and the child just said ‘but brownies is for girls’ until she told him to be quiet.

I just feel a bit weird that I didn’t know. The whole reason we joined brownies was for the girls only environment, which my daughter was really excited about. Feel like I should have just put her in the scouts instead now (which would have been more convenient). But my friend is one of the brownie leaders and she encouraged me by promoting the idea of a girl’s only space.

There’s a brownie camp sleepover thing next month where they sleep in dormitories. My daughter can’t go anyway as we have other plans that weekend, but it’s got me wondering how they’re going to arrange that? Surely they can’t have the boy sleeping separately in a room on his own, but equally he can’t go with the girls?

But the Scouts changed their charitable aims in the 1990s so they are no longer just for boys. I don't make the rules! I personally would think it sensible to have one org for boys, one for girls but the Scouts decided otherwise.

Completely agree with you (see my earlier post about shy son leaving) but just got called “weird” by another poster 😂. Wish they’d made a better argument!

Yes I’m agreeing with you.

Cubs is mixed sex organisation.
Brownies are not.

Years ago my daughter and some of her (girl) friends went to Cubs. I felt a bit sorry for the boys, as I felt they needed a place to just be boys. It was run by women too, and was obviously just not a male space.
So I sympathize with OP having a boy at Brownies.

It was a very big news story a few weeks ago. Also the WI.

That's was my first thought. A leaders child.

Except they’ve said that will apply to new members. Existing male members can stay.

Nope. It isn’t.

They were in uniform and joining in.

can you not just say ohi was to see a little boy there and she'll then say oh it's Tina's lad, he just joins in when she doesn't have child care or actually yeah don't tell anyone or actually they like to be called Emma.

I said you’re weird for saying that because cubs let girls in, Brownies should let boys in. I stand by that. Campaign to get cubs to go back to being boys only if you wish but don’t say “because boys have been let down by their organisation, girls must now be equally let down by their organisation.”

what do you think a name space would look like for a group of Kelsey aged boys as compared to a mixed sex one? genuinely interested, we don't have many girls in our sections, none in Squirrels and only one or two in the other sections but I don't see what we'd do differently if there weren't.

Brownies is for girls only. Even if the child was a leaders son, they shouldn’t be in uniform. If you are not comfortable asking and if you are certain that it was a boy and not a girl with short hair, you can report this to the local commissioner. (Google your local area or region)
or to the safeguarding team in hq.

As mentioned previously the rules have recently changed regarding trans members. Guidance about existing members is awaited.

I’m right on this off Mumsnet too. Even girl guiding has (very begrudgingly) accepted this. Not sure what your point is?

My money's on it being a girl with short hair.

I understand what you’re saying but they’re both under the Scouting umbrella.

What about girls brigade?
from an ex brigader

i had a relative who was a girl guider. She died young, newry twenty years ago . I wonder what she’d have made of potentially having mixed sex guides?

Hard to describe, but they weren't allowed to be boisterous, they did things like artwork with leaves, the physical games were quite timid, and I just sensed that the boys wanted to expend more energy tbh. It was quite a long time ago, and they only went there for 2 terms.

So boys have to put up with girls being there but girls dont have to have boys there?

This. I have known a lot of young girls and pre teens who you’d struggle to be sure either way. Literally look more boy than girl. Same as I’ve known boys with long hair who regularly get mistaken for girls

But some parents lie for ideological reasons (or pure entitlement).

If you, an adult that is expected to supervise children in your care, are unable to identify males, you need to find another role where protecting girls isn’t important.

Ah well they should have excluded your pack from the policy change then.

Em, yes? They are different organisations? If you are unhappy with the boys having to allow girls then campaign to scouts against that. Nothing to do with the girl guides and does not mean that they have to follow suit.