Why do Brownies/GG actively recruit at Pride?

[LiterallyProblematic]

My niece is about to become Brownie and was sent this. I know they’ve drunk the kool aid but doing their marketing at Pride? Can’t understand it.

Meant to say sister-in-law was sent this.

I don't know but three guesses:

1. Lots of people attend Pride events, including an increasing number of straight people (my local Pride has probably increased in size ten fold in the past ten years). Lots of people=good marketing opportunity.
2. Because Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual people have children, and have been able to adopt since 2005 so could well have children of the right age for joining up.
3. Most youth groups are desperate for leaders, and a lot could expand if only they could get more suitable adult volunteers.

I don’t see a problem with it. Why do you think it’s an issue?

I don't see your point OP? It's an event with lots of people at it so a good chance to find more members? Can you explain what you mean to us a little bit more?

Because it's an event that lots of people attend so a good place for recruitment.

I'm not at all sure, to be honest. I have no idea why children with gender dysphoria should be included amongst adult lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

@Pingu21

I don't know but three guesses:

1. Lots of people attend Pride events, including an increasing number of straight people (my local Pride has probably increased in size ten fold in the past ten years). Lots of people=good marketing opportunity.
2. Because Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual people have children, and have been able to adopt since 2005 so could well have children of the right age for joining up.
3. Most youth groups are desperate for leaders, and a lot could expand if only they could get more suitable adult volunteers.

All of this, surely? I don't see the problem.

I beg your pardon, op, I thought you said mermaids!

I have their puppies and sweets stalls, at pride, on the brain, at the moment

Why wouldn’t they? And what do you mean with the kool aid comment?

Can you explain what the problem is OP? Is there a reason that children with LGBTQ parents shouldn't attend brownies or guides? Cannot think of any reason they should be excluded.

But, like you, I don't know why they would. Pride has a lot of men in chaps, puppies, I don't know why people would want to recruit brownies from that event.

It doesn't seem like their target cohort.

Because they haven't come across the puppy fetish & pony plug contingent?

But yes, many LGB people take their kids to Pride and it's seen as a family friendly event.

It seems like an odd place to recruit to me, too. Kind of random, usually you try and market to places that have high concentrations of people who are interested in your organisation, and Pride doesn't seem like great value for money to me. There is probably fewer parents there than average and the ones there could also be reached in other places.

So to me it seems a bit like a virtue signalling thing to me.

What exactly is the problem with this OP?

But, like you, I don't know why they would. Pride has a lot of men in chaps, puppies, I don't know why people would want to recruit brownies from that event.

There's also lots of people who go to celebrate pride with their friends and family wearing normal clothes and not wearing anything that suggestive of a fetish- whatever their sexual orientation may be.

It could also be a good way to make the children of the community welcome. It's an inclusionary initiative.

@Purpledaisychain

What exactly is the problem with this OP?

Maybe they mean this kind of thing

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3661972-furries-gimp-masks-at-surrey-pride?pg=1

People of the LGBT community can be brownie/GG leaders. Maybe that's why?

Not to mention all the straight people who go to these events who may be interested in volunteering?

And,as people of the LGBT community can have children via adoption etc, it is a way to involve their children.

Brownies/GG no doubt want to instill good sense of equality in their members, so that is another reason why they want to show their face at these events.

@RozWatching they're not recruiting grown men. I assume that man wasn't there with his children. There may be people wearing things like gimp masks but the majority are not.

Wouldn't recruit gay and lesbian leaders be a good thing? Especially for guides who may be coming to an age where they are beginning to be aware of their sexual orientation. Good role models and all.

I guess that's why they're asking the question in the survey? To see if they're getting a return on their investment?
I know the RSPB recruiter locally seems to be at anything and everything- Pride, Church Fetes, School fairs, Music events, Home games at the football or cricket. Our local Pride attracts 40,000 people- if only 10% are interested in Brownies that beats 90% of 1000 people who might attend a School fair, in purely numerical terms. Plus it's a once a year cost, whereas every Church and School have their own events, with mixed results.

Pride used to be mainly for adults, increasingly is became more 'family friendly' now it is kink- friendly.

I think it's odd too, I would imagine they would recruit or have stalls at village events, things parents would go to like schools and local fetês. It's completely out of place for me to have what is effectively an after-school club recruit at an adult sexual orientation event. Even with all the rainbows and glitter it's out of place.

Maybe they have drunk the Kool aid and moved onto something stronger!

There are many guiders who are lesbians- and gay scouters for that matter. Many people are unaware of how the "T" has pushed the "LGB" out and see Pride events as a good thing.

My experience of Pride is that a group like the Brownies would probably be in the family or kids tent, nowhere near these groups. Perhaps it's different elsewhere though 🤷

Our family would have been at pride this year , maybe brownies want to encourage gay / diverse families to sign our kids up and feel it's going to be a safe place for them to enjoy themselves

Because it's a good way to make it clear that they are welcoming to LGBTQ+ families and volunteers. At my local Pride, Guides have a stall, various churches have stalls, sports clubs have stalls, toddler groups have stalls, political parties have stalls, local businesses have stalls, charities and community groups have stalls.

And guiding has traditionally been less homophobic than similar organisations, although not always to a great extent. I was made welcome in Brownies in the 1980s as the child of a same-sex couple in a way that I wasn't at school, and would certainly not have been in other uniformed children's organisations.