Expelled from Girlguiding for putting safeguarding first

[KatieAlcock]

Many of you will remember that Helen Watts and another Guider were expelled from Girlguiding last year. This was me - in Sept 2018 I had my membership of Guiding withdrawn for social media breaches (one FB post in a small private group) and refusing to follow Girlguiding policies on transgender members (saying I'd put safeguarding first, ahead of any policies).
I'm a longstanding Guider and Mumsnetter (naice ham, cancel the cheque, show us the diagram) but I'm anonymous for obvious reasons, generally. I'm coming out now to tell you this story.

I appealed and the former Chief Guide who held the appeal concluded that I had not breached social media guidelines (I should jolly well hope not given that 9 people saw my post!) but that I was still refusing to follow GG policy (I gave the same statement - safeguarding comes first).

My story is in the Mail on Sunday today (if this link doesn't work I'll put a clicky link in the next post).

Mail on Sunday link

I am taking GG to court on the grounds that they have discriminated against me because of my gender critical beliefs by investigating my actions when other Guiders who complain about things are not investigated.
I am asking them for a small amount in damages because though I have not lost any income, I have lost reputation and the investigation was stressful, as you can understand.
And I've asked to be reinstated, and for a full apology and statement that I did nothing wrong.

PS... I spent an hour with their professional photographer telling me "don't smile" and they go with the photo from camp with a big grin on my face, taken by my Guide??!

[Post edited by MNHQ]

Interestingly, I have been assigned to the female gender on GO, and I am not able to change this.
Who made this decision for me? And what was it based on?

@popehilarious LancsResisters has been tweeting about the Woodcraft Folk page and has challenged them to find anywhere anyone has said trans children are more of a risk than other children.
More AT risk, yep, definitely.

I have done the thing we're not allowed to mention. Good luck Katie!

Getting pretty excited...

Good luck Kate. This is so important.

9960 is such a lovely number.

I'm glad it improved this morning but I can't think what I might have done to aid that!

Anyone got a purple note and a blue note handy?

That thing we can’t talk about...where might one find some information please? Fully behind you Katie, and if someone would be so kind as to DM me the link to the thing we can’t talk about or leave me a trail of clues I’d be grateful

I think if you look up crowd justice, then look for expelled from girl guiding you should be able to find it.

Feeling very grateful to lots of amazing women (and a few men) tonight.

Could anyone DM me the thing we must not mention?

The link I mean

Thanks. Done!

Can someone DM the link to the thing too please?

What a lovely lot you are!
I just got an email from a relative forwarded from a childhood friend who could be very helpful technically. It's all so bolstering after rubbish on Twitter and of course back to school madness.

Hi Katie,

Bumping this thread and have contributed to the unmentionable. Thank you on behalf of a newbie leader. I would never have got involved if I had realised this clear breach of safeguarding was on the cards. I will resign if it continues and I hope other leaders do too.

Best wishes and good luck.

I seem to be getting more popular!
I've been asked to speak at a couple of events in the coming months, I've had to say no to one (too soon/midweek) but I will be speaking at another one in April, I won't give date or town yet because I don't think the group themselves have announced it.

Today I learned a new legal phrase: Status Quo Ante.
I've written about it on my FB page

www.facebook.com/683130824/posts/10156290545510825?sfns=mo

Thanks for the update. Hope that the legal matters are progressing ? I see you reached your target and now have a stretch target - well done.

Wishing you all the best with this, Kate

Thank you all!
After chatting with the lawyers today I really feel positive about doing this for all the girls and leaders: both those that know nothing about it but aren't safe any more, and those who don't "identify as a woman" and who are excluded because GG took advice from TRAs.

You’re an amazing woman. 🥇

I was investigated for saying a single sex organisation shouldn't take boys, rather than for saying safeguarding comes first - I never thought that would be at all controversial, but apparently so!

@KatieAlcock, have I got this right - they investigated you for saying a single sex organisation shouldn't take boys, but when they gave a reason for your expulsion they said it was because of your comments about safeguarding?

I think I know why they did this - it takes it outside of the Equality Act, where you have protection as a member of an association, and puts it under whistleblowing legislation, where you don't have protection because only employees are protected.

Questioning why your organisation is not properly using an EA single sex exception, and pointing out what this will mean for girls and women in the organisation (it will create an environment which meets the EA definition of harassment) - are both 'protected acts' under the EA.

As well as direct discrimination on the grounds of belief, you could have a very strong case for claiming victimisation.

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/27

Your legal team have probably already looked at this angle but I thought I'd mention it and it gives me the opportunity to bump

Thanks, and yes, this is part of the case.

Am I allowed to say very very nearly 12,000?

Brilliant