Girl guiding email to parents.

[Wildboar]

Has anyone seen the mass email sent out this evening? They haven’t acknowledged any concerns put to them. All they have stated that there is no risk and they won’t inform parents of transgender members due to data protection laws.

What a load of absolute bollox.

They have avoided the very simple issue of male bodied children/teens sharing sleeping and showering arrangements.

Why won’t they answer that?!

Absolutely appalled by the email. As so many others have said it doesn't address concerns and basically says the rights of a trans man (or boy) to feel included is more important than the rights of vulnerable girls to have safe protected spaces.
I emailed them earlier in the day but will also be replying to this one. We all need to make a noise. I don't want to withdraw dd from guides but I absolutely will not consent to her going away with potentially males sharing the sleeping/washing spaces. I will be talking to the fab local leaders but think their hands will be tied.

From the same survey?

67% of girls aged 11-21 think women don’t have the same chances as men compared to 53% in 2011

73% of girls 11-21 think women have to work much harder than men to succeed compared to 57% in 2011

Of those that have spoken up on an issue they care about, 60% of girls aged 11-21 said they felt heard and it made a difference compared to 64% in 2011

Hollow laugh.

I've snapped so hard tonight after reading that email.
Gaslighting bastards with their word salady bullshit.
Have spoken to two leaders already who weren't aware of the issues and were horrified.
So so so SO angry

I’ve just downloaded and read the Royal Charter.

It all hinges on what the definition of “women and girls” is, as far as I can see.

I am not a lawyer. But that’s how it reads to me.

Anyway, regardless of the legalities, it’s fucking bullshit of the highest order to send THAT email that effectively says “what you thought was true isn’t actually true, but don’t worry about it, it’s not really important.”

It’s basically just a hand wringing admonishment that we are not being nice.

Flagging up this part:

Our universal policies ensure that all volunteers are required to safeguard and assess risk for all activities on a case by case basis to comply with those policies and procedures.

Well this is very new if it is the case, as they told me, with regard to male children of guide leaders:

“we do allow volunteers’ [male] family members to attend residential events. Such requests are carefully considered by the local commissioner and as a part of the mandatory risk assessment or any trips. However this same process would not apply to a trans girl as this would be a breach of the Equality Act.”

So do they risk assess for male children or don’t they? And if they do, let’s see an example risk assessment then.

I'm sure most girls don't believe that people should be discriminated against based on age, doesn't mean they want much older or younger people joining their ranks, or sex, doesn't mean they want boys joining either. If they are going for inclusivity they should let in 40 year old men who pretend to be identify as 14 year old girls.

I have replied. I was as polite as I could be.

And it is a bloody hassle to have to keep typing 'male-bodied' and 'female-bodied' instead of boy and girl.

Yes they have spectacularly misunderstood what discrimination means in this context. Discrimination means not treating a boy with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment any less favourably than a boy who does not have the protected characteristic of gender reassignment.

It does not mean treating a boy with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment in the same way as a girl!

What would their position be if someone like Stefonknee Wolschtt wanted to join Rainbows? Maybe a six-year-old called Lucy? The suggestion is no more far-fetched than Pips Bunce's double life - he's pulled that one off.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/stefonknee-wolschtt-transgender-father-leaves-family-in-toronto-to-start-new-life-as-a-six-year-old-a6769051.html

Well this is gaslighting bollocks.

Following a number of complaints about two individuals, an independent investigation concluded that both had breached our Volunteer Code of Conduct and our Social Media policy because they did not, and indicated that they were not willing to, follow Girlguiding’s Equality and Diversity policy and actively encouraged others to do the same. We are always willing to listen to feedback about our policies, and remain open to reviewing them wherever necessary.

Um, you just explained that you got rid of two volunteers for attempting to give you feedback and were not open to reviewing your policies at all.

Beware if your daughter starts to question her gender identity in adolescence, wants to transition to present as a boy and at this point her Girlguiding group 'encourage her to find an alternative organisation' so that she has to stop accessing this important space for her perhaps with longstanding friends, would you still think everything was great? Might you in fact feel that at a time when she desperately needed stability, support and a place to be active and learning while her sex wasn't an issue, she was being excluded? Because that's what this policy says.

Discrimination means not treating a boy with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment any less favourably than a boy who does not have the protected characteristic of gender reassignment

Yes, except that boys (under 18s) don't even qualify for the protected characteristic of gender reassignment, because existing law was written before everybody went insane and thought it was appropriate for children to reassign their gender

It went into my junk so I wonder how many will miss it. From the email 'transactional. Girlguiding' ie a whole special department.

Reads like a Riley Dennis video 'it's hard to hear' and other 'folk-isms' cos they're just plain old trans folk.

Not that long ago GG were loud and proud of their single sex 'we're for girls' stance. The word girl is hardly metioned in that email. 'Young people' comes up more of the than 'girl'.

I don't know whether to quit or cry. The fabric of GG is being destroyed by 100s of people arguing on the internet.

Who are their insurers?

I don't know whether to quit or cry. The fabric of GG is being destroyed by 100s of people arguing on the internet.

I'm with you Namechanger555.

I despair. Women and girls rights are being eroded day by day by the very organisations that used to provide a safe place for us.

My mum who used to be a district commisioner for guides has tonight peak transed over this. There is hope. Lets see what happens tomorrow at the trial

Who are their legal advisers?

Ah! It went into my junk items. Best place for it.
My DD is in a fab Brownie pack. I won't be taking her out.but will be watching closely.

Who are their insurers?

It seems to be a bit complicated, but I'm sure someone smarter than me can figure it out...

www.girlguiding.org.uk/making-guiding-happen/running-your-unit/finance-insurance-and-property/insurance/

Also who on earth would answer yes to “do you think people should be discriminated against based on blaaaa” it’s just utter utter bollocks that letter.

I sobbed a little.

How long before GirlGuides just becomes Guides. I’m sure some TRAs will start complaining. Same as they’ve complained about “feminine hygiene products” and pregnancy leaflets which mention women.

I noticed that they referred to it as "a young persons organisation "

I've bumped the AIBU thread about GG adding all the latest links because it's that thread that is coming up on the first page of Google using the search terms girl guides transgender.