Angela is a mother of two daughters, aged 13 and 10, who participate in a local Girlguiding group in the UK. Like many girls in their age group, they eagerly collect badges, forge friendships, and look forward to the organization’s annual summer jamboree.
However, starting in September, Angela’s youngest daughter will be required to leave Girlguiding due to her transgender identity. Recently, Girlguiding announced that following a ruling from the supreme court, all transgender girls and young transgender women who volunteer must surrender their memberships.
Angela expressed her distress over the situation, stating, “It’s incredibly upsetting for all of us. How do you explain to a child that they are no longer welcome in a place they once called home? I struggle to provide her with a rationale that she can understand.” Angela, who chose not to disclose her last name for her daughter’s safety, conveyed her concerns about the emotional toll this change will have on her child.
Although her daughter will remain in Girlguiding through the summer — as the family has already paid for her to attend an international jamboree in August — she will have to leave in the fall. Angela fears this will have a “catastrophic impact” on her daughter’s well-being.
Meanwhile, her elder daughter finds herself in a difficult position. “It’s a challenging situation for her,” Angela noted. “Girlguiding has instilled in her the values of kindness and compassion, yet now she’s being told those values have limitations, with those limits affecting her younger sister. It’s very hard for her.”
The recent announcement has placed Girlguiding at the heart of a contentious debate. In reaction to the membership policy change, a protest group called Guiders Against Trans Exclusion (GATE) has been established by volunteers and parents, with plans for demonstrations in six cities across the UK on April 12.
Approximately 500 volunteers have signed a letter indicating their intent to resign from Girlguiding, with GATE reporting that more individuals are departing their roles daily. Lily, a volunteer on the GATE leadership committee, shared, “We have volunteers who have dedicated 10, 20, or even 30 years to this organization, who have built their communities here. They cannot accept the idea of excluding young members who have done nothing wrong.”
Lily, who requested anonymity due to concerns of backlash, remarked on the shocking level of online abuse directed at their group. Although children are not permitted to join as GATE members, there are worries that the controversy is starting to affect everyday activities within Girlguiding.
Alongside the protests, there are those who have welcomed the recent changes. Girlguiding faced complaints and legal challenges from parents regarding its inclusive policy for transgender members, which some viewed as a potential safeguarding concern.
Katie Alcock, a former member who claims she was expelled for voicing her concerns about the organization’s trans membership policy on social media, expressed satisfaction with the leadership’s decision, stating, “At last, the organization that expelled me seven years ago is prioritizing safeguarding and the rights of girls to have single-sex spaces. It’s unfortunate that it took such a clumsy approach to reach this point.”
She questioned why there was no positive framing in the announcement that conveyed compliance with the law, expressing hope for future improvements.
Some have interpreted Girlguiding’s wording — describing the decision as “difficult” and made “with a heavy heart” — as an indication that the leadership felt compelled to implement the change due to last year’s supreme court ruling. This ruling clarified that “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 pertains to biological sex at birth rather than gender identity, affecting same-sex spaces and membership criteria.
Lily emphasized, “We understand that Girlguiding did not want to make this move, but we still intend to hold them accountable for the choices they have made and stress that they are causing harm to individuals.”
She further stated, “This issue did not originate at Girlguiding headquarters, and it will not be resolved there either. We want to make it clear to the government that they must intervene because many organizations striving for inclusivity are being threatened by legal action, which they cannot afford to continually defend against.”
