Furious protest outside Girlguiding HQ after they ban trans girls | UK | News
Protesters flocked to Girlguiding’s headquarters in Scotland against a decision to exclude trans girls from the organisation. Girlguiding announced “with regret” on December 2 that it would no longer accept transgender girls as members. This follows the Supreme Court’s decision on biological sex in April.
Nearly 100 members of the Girlguiding community gathered, including parents and toddlers involved in the organization’s Rainbows group for children ages four to seven. Edinburgh to protest the decision. Organized by Guides Against Trans Exclusion protesters recently heard testimony from a father who told his six-year-old transgender daughter she could no longer attend Rainbows and condemned the decision.
Another parent said the decision “hurts all children, not just transgender children” and called it “disgusting.” Marnie Collin, 55, a psychotherapist and mother of three, joined because her stepdaughter went to Mentors and her youngest child is non-binary.
Ms Collin said: “We want our children to know that even if they feel powerless, they can come together with other people and make change. It’s a shame.”
He added: “It looks like the organization was bent on doing this. I think it sends a bad message to be put into effect.”
The situation has become an “uneven playing field” for grassroots organisations, Anne said.
Rainbows leader Ann Burnett, 56, was with her daughter Lauren, 23, who is non-binary and has been making headway in Girlguiding from a young age. He helped organize the protest.
Ms Burnett said: “Girl guidance is not an organization but a society that should include everyone, not just those assigned female at birth.”
Organizer Eloise Lawrence, 21, said: “I’ve been with Guiding since I was five, as a gay woman it’s heartbreaking. As members we want to make sure we uphold our Guiding values. It’s a proud and loving community.”
He read a statement from the father of a six-year-old boy who recently tried Rainbows but was later told of the new policy. The anonymous father said his transgender daughter self-harmed after telling her she could no longer attend Rainbows.
Banners such as “The guide is a sister, a sister” and “This cowardly ban will harm children” were used at the event. Protesters sang guiding songs and recited the Pledge to which all members of the organization had pledged.
Mum-of-two Heather Collins said: “This is an opportunity to teach children about inclusivity, my other child is involved in the Boy Scouts movement and I hope we don’t see the same policy changes there.
“The powerful women who are behind this should feel deeply ashamed. The Supreme Court decision is about gender recognition documents that even those under 18 cannot obtain. This has nothing to do with the Supreme Court.”
Girlguiding said in a statement that following the Supreme Court decision, many organizations are faced with complex decisions about what this means for girls, women and affected communities.
She added: “Girlguiding’s charity documents state that the members and people who benefit from our organization are girls and women. “The High Court ruled in the Equality Act 2010 that girls and women are defined by their biological sex at birth.
“Following detailed consideration, expert legal advice and input from senior members, junior members and our council, Girlguiding trustees have made the difficult decision that Girlguiding must change following the High Court decision.
“We regret to announce that trans girls and young women will no longer be able to participate in Girlguiding. This was a decision we would have preferred not to make, and we know it may be upsetting for members of our community.”
Following the protests, Girlguiding said it understood the decision to limit new youth membership to only those assigned female at birth had an impact on members, volunteers and supporters.
