Scouting

[StraightToVideo]

My DH is a scout leader.
He's just said to me - you know this trans stuff you've been going on about? It's arriving at our group - what's the gen?

Can anyone advise on best organisations for GC advice?

Transgender Trend
Genspect
Safe Schools Alliance
Sex Matters

So sorry (but unsurprised) that it's reached the Scouts. We must never stop fighting.

Ta

I think Scouts, in admitting girls, acknowledege they are mixed sex and therefore have appropriate safeguarding in place?

Scouts are in a good position though because they already have safeguarding based on mixed sex units. Also, ale leaders insisting on these safeguarding protocol will get less shit than their female counterparts in guides.
I'd suggest your husband print out their safeguarding policy. Highlights the relevant passages, then asks why it exists. Answers will include preventing pregnancy and assault. Then husband needs to say all our scouts are lovely, why don't we dispense with this and do an honour system. Hopefully they'll have the answer if they've been safeguarding trained.
Volunteers then in the safeguarding mindset when the issue is discussed.

Safeguarding around the demand that children are treated as if they were the opposite sex is still going to be complex, even if the organisation is mixed sex overall.

I suspect the Scouts might have been less of an early target as some males who claim they are female appear to be deliberately targeting anything that’s exclusively female. Not sure whether that would extend to children, but certainly when it comes to any invested adults.

Not surprised it’s arrived now though. It will complicate any situation where single-sex accommodation is used. It will be interesting to see how Scouts handle it, compared to Guides. I would be interested to hear more about policies from your DH, StraightToVideo.

Official policy...
www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/including-everyone/lgbtplus/transgender-and-gender-identity/

Basically... ask them how they want to be treated, but make sure everyone has access to single sex spaces for changing and sleeping

Katie Alcock might be a good person to look for.

medium.com/@katieja/a-year-ago-i-was-removed-from-girlguiding-d72f0e9f9692

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Official policy... www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/including-everyone/lgbtplus/transgender-and-gender-identity/

Basically... ask them how they want to be treated, but make sure everyone has access to single sex spaces for changing and sleeping

Have you read the next page of that? I don't think it says what you think it says - it may be they have changed their requirements recently?

It goes on to say that the child can use the facilities of their choice, choose who they share sleeping areas with and a Leader must keep confidential any disclosures unless they think there is risk to that person.
Similar to Guides there's very little consideration given in the opposite direction.

So disappointing and unfortunately not surprising.

It goes on to say that the child can use the facilities of their choice, choose who they share sleeping areas with and a Leader must keep confidential any disclosures unless they think there is risk to that person.

"The child" being the one who wants to be with the opposite sex?

Does a child get to choose facilities without the opposite sex and choose not to share sleeping areas with the opposite sex?

That's how I read it.
In reality I think the Leaders would arrange sleeping in ways that would be sensitive to everyone. But that's not said explicitly

Scouts are much more familiar with managing mixed sex groups than Guides are

But I would also observe in both a historical context and in the wider scouting movement they've also had a lot more problems with abuse within units of children by leaders

Hmmm. On one hand that guide does talk about making some spaces gender neutral/mixed rather than just put them where they want. However I can see that not being good enough for some and the backing down after ensuing tantrums.

Then on the other it's don't tell the parents, 'assigned at birth' 🙄 and that list of organisations to refer too.....

I was considering Squirrels/Scouts for DD (wouldn't touch brownies and guides with a bargepole now) as they are mixed sex so it's all clear and I'd hope they have a good understanding of safeguarding, the importance of single sex spaces etc. One to watch now, see how it plays out.