Guide Leader concerns

[GuideParent]

My daughter is a Guide so I’ve been following what’s been happening after Girlguiding put out their statement last week.

I’m pretty concerned about the behaviour of some of the leaders. Obviously they are entitled to protest the policy, but surely there are limits about involving the girls in their units to do the same?

There’s a Facebook page I’ve had a look at and leaders seem to be doing things like ordering trans badges for the girls to wear.
I’ve attached a pic of someone in a thread about what to say to parents (I believe she is quoting what she has emailed out to parents) saying they are not allowed to be political, but they are being political

I think Girlguiding themselves have totally brought about this situation with their statement. Rather than it being politically neutral, about the law and recognising that there will be a range of views within the organisation, their statement has taken a clear political pov that this decision is basically wrong but their hands are tied. I feel that leaders have taken their cue from this and have assumed that the view that ‘this is wrong’ is universal among the organisation and among all members. The leaders also seem to have been provided with no further direction about how they should be handing the situation with girls and parents.

Obviously there will be lots of GC parents and prob Guides themselves. Surely leaders marshalling the children in their unit to support a particular political view risks potential lawsuits regarding belief discrimination?

I am very disappointed by that. Lots of staff at GGHQ are young, which I suspect goes some way to explaining it but it's still unacceptable.

The thing is they want their cake and to eat it

if they think excluding boys is soooooo incredibly awful then they could change their constitution and royal charter to state it's a mixed sex organisation

but they don't want to do that. They want the virtuous kudos of being an organisation for girls whilst still admitting boys

I mean if they really felt so very very strongly they should include boys then they should start the process to change it but they haven't

they want to public wail and hand wring - but not to do anything

Badges for “good girls” who give up their rights to appease the feelings of disappointed boys……from an organisation which is meant to centre girls.

This is beyond dystopian!

It's the need to CALL it girls/women so that the identity for males is not harmed - regardless of the cost of pretending that the female population isn't a thing, doesn't have needs, and exists only in relation to how males need to use them.

The obvious solutions are there, third spaces solve the issues practically and fairly, but as you say - it's the naming of it as mixed sex, that's caused the rage. You have to pretend.

What is hoped for is that enough kicking and screaming will successfully destroy girls and women's rights in law, and get things back to an enforced, bullied, cowed and threatened population playing along, pretending how lovely the Emperor's clothes are, and not daring to do otherwise.

They should be ashamed. And absolutely nowhere near resources for girls and women, when their main interest in the resource is how to keep it revolving around a highly prioritised population of boys and men. Who, regardless of all this enforcement of the pretending, are very obviously seen by these activists as different to and far, far more exciting and valuable than real actual women and girls.

But once GG got into bed with political activists, and stuffed their leadership with activists, and got rid of and silenced anyone who prioritised girls, safeguarding, refused to deny reality, or in any other ways failed to submit, or at least performatively stay in line.... this was inevitable.

I suppose we will see if enough women kept their heads down and will now just as quietly carry on in relief, or if the activists and allies will do the other thing they do when a women/girl resource is not successfully captured for boys and men - destroy it. In the 'if I can't have it no one can' toddler way.

All of this is further evidence that trans is a cult-like ideology.

"Get them to write physical letters". Do the people who suggest this actually work with children? I have my doubts. I was a leader many years ago and the Guides would have considered this boring. Also, it is unlikely the girls would be able to (or want to) finish a letter in the time allotted during the weekly meeting.

Discriminatory, too.

Indeed. The trans activists are well aware of this, too.

GG could go mixed sex. What's stopping them?

I think the people pushing for inclusion of boys in girl only organisations often apply for and secure the role of social media manager or the like.

This is why released statements are so biased and emotive. Any way that they can publicly push the agenda stands out as 'classic' TRA agenda. The words they use are the same in every organisation.

This is also why we see loud, angry posts, vocally calling for allies, threatening to resign, etc. In every case, though, it all comes to nothing. It fizzles out because they don't use the correct routes. They are demanding that GG reverse their position, completely ignoring the fact that they can't. GG have to follow the law.

So whilst it seems like there is a lot of backlash, there is hardly any really and none that will go anywhere. It'll all quietly settle down and that will be that.

If they really want to challenge and change the law, they need to make coherent arguments in court, which is what they have consistently failed to do. It's not that they haven't had the opportunity, they just don't have the required logic.

https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/information-for-volunteers/policies/complaints-policy/complaints-procedure/

'It’s important that volunteers, members, parents, carers or anyone else can raise concerns or problems about Girlguiding.'

Use this complaints procedure if:

• You have a concern or complaint about something happening at any level of Girlguiding. This could be related to a volunteer, situation or event.

Girlguiding promotes a culture where everyone feels empowered to speak up about things that concern them, no matter who they are. If your concern or complaint is about something not covered here, find out how you can report this following the relevant policy and procedure.'

Well.

In the spirit of feeling empowered, I will be emailing a complaint to HQ.

I suggest anyone else who is unhappy at how they are handling this does the same.

Template that anyone is welcome to use, created using the complaints policy guidelines:

'Subject: Formal complaint about HQ communications and treatment of gender critical members

Dear Girlguiding Complaints Team,

I am writing to make a formal complaint under Girlguiding’s complaints procedure.

1. My details

Name: [Your full name]

Contact details: [Email / phone]

Country / region: [e.g. Scotland / North West England]

Role in Girlguiding: [e.g. Parent of a member / volunteer leader / former volunteer]

1. Short summary of my complaint

I am concerned about the tone and content of Girlguiding HQ communications about the recent equality and diversity policy change (2 December 2025).

In particular, I am referring to official HQ statements on the website and posts on Girlguiding’s official social media accounts about the new policy.

As a woman/girl who holds gender critical beliefs (which Girlguiding has previously recognised as protected under the Equality Act), I feel that these communications imply that people like me are not welcome, or are viewed as a problem Girlguiding must manage rather than as valued members.

I am asking Girlguiding to review and amend its communications and social media moderation so that gender critical girls and women are clearly recognised as welcome members, in line with Girlguiding’s own 2022 settlement statement and its stated commitment to inclusion.

1. What I am complaining about

Who / what

I am complaining about:

Communications produced by Girlguiding HQ, including:

Website pages and press releases about the updated equality and diversity policy dated 2 December 2025 (for example, “Media statement on our equality and diversity policy”, “Statement for members on our equality and diversity policy”, and related guidance for volunteers on supporting members’ wellbeing).

Posts and comments on Girlguiding’s official social media accounts (for example Facebook and/or X) promoting or explaining the policy change around 2–4 December 2025.

Where and when

Online, via the Girlguiding website and official social media channels.

Primarily between 2 December 2025 and the present, following the announcement of changes to the equality and diversity policy and the decision that only those recorded female at birth can join as new young members.

1. Why I am concerned

I understand that Girlguiding feels obliged to respond to the recent Supreme Court ruling on sex and the Equality Act, and I recognise that this is a difficult and sensitive area. My complaint is not about the concept of complying with the law.

My concern is about the way HQ is talking about these issues, and the message this sends to girls and women who hold gender critical beliefs.

In April 2022, Girlguiding issued a settlement statement in which it explicitly:
Girlguiding

Recognised that gender critical beliefs are protected under the Equality Act.

Acknowledged that there are girls and volunteers within Girlguiding who hold these beliefs.

Stated that Girlguiding “respect[s] and value[s] their right to do so, and to express those beliefs.”

Reaffirmed that Girlguiding is also a home for trans people.

This was an important piece of reassurance for many of us who hold gender critical beliefs but want to support Girlguiding and its aims.

However, the more recent communications around the December 2025 policy change feel very different in tone. In combination, they appear to:

Focus almost entirely on distress and harm to one group, without clearly acknowledging that other girls and women (including some current and former members, parents and volunteers) support sex-based membership or share the gender critical beliefs that Girlguiding has already said are protected.

Use language which, when read alongside the wider public commentary, can easily be understood as implying that those who hold gender critical beliefs are responsible for “harm”, “exclusion” or “bigotry”, even if those words are not always used directly in HQ materials.

Offer no clear restatement of the 2022 position that gender critical girls and women are welcome, and that their beliefs are lawful and protected.

As a result, the overall impression is that Girlguiding HQ is sympathetic only to one side of this debate, and that girls and women who hold gender critical views are now an embarrassment or a problem to be managed, rather than members whose beliefs were explicitly recognised and respected only a short time ago.

For girls and young women this matters especially. Many will see these messages online; some will share my beliefs, or come from families who do. They may reasonably conclude that they are not welcome, or that they must remain silent about their views if they wish to stay in Girlguiding.

1. Impact on me

Because of the tone of these communications:

I feel unwelcome and unsafe to speak openly about my lawful, protected beliefs within Girlguiding.

I worry that girls and young women who share my beliefs, or who are exploring questions about sex and gender, will feel that their perspective is invalid or unacceptable in your organisation.

I feel that Girlguiding has stepped away from the balanced, respectful position it set out in the 2022 settlement statement, and that my trust in the organisation has been damaged.

1. Outcome I am seeking

I am asking Girlguiding to:

Explicitly restate in current communications (on the website and social media) the key elements of its 2022 settlement statement, namely that:

Gender critical beliefs are protected under the Equality Act.

Girls and volunteers who hold those beliefs are part of the Girlguiding community.

Girlguiding respects and values their right to hold and express those beliefs, within the usual expectations of kindness and safeguarding.

Review the language and tone used in HQ statements and social media posts around the equality and diversity policy change, with the aim of:

Avoiding wording that implies or could reasonably be read as implying that girls and women with gender critical beliefs are “harmful”, “bigoted” or not welcome.

Making clear that Girlguiding is committed to supporting all members and volunteers, including those who support sex-based membership and those who do not.

Provide guidance and training for staff and social media moderators to ensure that:

Both sex-based beliefs and gender-identity-based beliefs are recognised as protected and are handled with respect.

Official accounts and moderators do not dismiss, block or single out gender critical members simply for expressing lawful, non-abusive views.

Offer, if appropriate, an opportunity for direct dialogue (for example via an online forum or consultation) so that girls, parents and volunteers with a range of lawful views can express their concerns and be heard.

1. Supporting information

In line with your complaints guidance, I am happy to provide:

Screenshots / links to specific HQ posts and pages that have caused concern.

Any further details you need to identify the communications I am referring to.

I understand that you do not expect me to prove the truth of what I am saying, but I hope I have given enough information to make clear what I am complaining about and why I believe it falls within your remit.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this complaint. I would be grateful for a response explaining how you intend to address these concerns and what steps will be taken to ensure that gender critical girls and women remain clearly welcome within Girlguiding.

Yours faithfully,

[Your name]
[Your role / connection to Girlguiding]'

Much abridged version:

Subject: Formal complaint – HQ communications about recent policy change

Dear Girlguiding Complaints Team,

I am writing to make a formal complaint under your complaints procedure.

My details
Name: [Your name]
Contact: [Email / phone]
Country/region: [e.g. UK / Scotland]
Role: [Parent / volunteer / former member, etc.]

What I’m complaining about

I am concerned about the tone and content of Girlguiding HQ communications about the recent equality and diversity policy change (website statements and official social media posts). As a woman/girl who holds gender critical beliefs, which Girlguiding has previously recognised as protected, these messages give the strong impression that people with my views are not welcome, or are regarded as a problem rather than as valued members.

This is affecting my trust in Girlguiding and makes me, and I believe others, feel unable to speak openly about our lawful beliefs within the organisation.

Outcome sought

A clear public reassurance that girls, parents and volunteers with gender critical beliefs are welcome in Girlguiding, and that these beliefs are recognised as protected.

A review of recent HQ and social media messaging to remove or amend language that implies gender critical members are unwelcome or harmful.

I am happy to provide screenshots and links to specific posts and pages if needed.

Yours faithfully,
[Your name]
[Your role / connection]

In a previous post I said that the GATE campaign is Guides Against Trans Exclusion. I should have typed Guiders Against Trans Inclusion. It's very much adult led.

Surely Guiders and volunteers have a Code of Conduct and a social media policy that they must follow. I wonder whether Girlguiding HQ has been in contact with them to remind them of their responsibilities towards the children and young people in their care and that using them to campaign with an offer of credit towards badges is completely unethical. They are also bringing the organisation into disrepute. If they'll use our children to campaign on behalf of the patriarchy how can we trust them on anything.

Just think for everyone person expressing sorrow ,anger, blah, blah, blah there will be many more who will be pleased about the decision but have just kept quiet about it.

It has shocked me how many Girlguiding groups are falling over themselves to appease the boys. This is from a Rainbow leader.

Two of them (that I know best) have been involved with guides from being guides themselves.
They both have boys .. who want to be girls.

The one with a girl who is in scouts I think.

The irony of signing off with "be kind to everyone" after a post like that calling gender critical women "transphobic idiots".

So, be kind to everyone except those who believe that humans cannot change sex and that calling feminine boys "girls" is sexist.

That post is a clear breach of the GG code of conduct.

Logic, ethics, reading comprehension skills and critical thinking. Always somehow in short supply in anything written on behalf of this political movement, tis odd.

That Rainbow leader was replying to this post from Anglia Girlguiding.

FFS.

Where is the consideration or compassion for how disheartened, lonely and unsure of the future all the GC members are feeling after being shamed and othered by GG's comms? They have a duty of care to those members too.

Another leader here and similar situation

Seems a very small group of vocal online leaders, not the vast majority of us

Yes, but unless women communicate that to the bods at the top, they will not know, and they will be easily able to pretend that 'everybody' agrees.

I urge anyone who is affected by their stance to contact them and let them know how you feel.

Some of the replies are a little unhinged.

One of my faves is a Reddit comment calling for a boycott.

😂

That's so funny 😄