Trans Girl Guide: ‘Going to Brownies was the most fun I’ve ever had’
A 10-year old trans girl has spoken out about her positive experience of taking part in Girl Guides, saying “it just felt quite natural to me.”
On Tuesday (September 25), Girlguiding, better known as the Girl Guides, released a statement condemning criticism of its Equality and Diversity policy, which includes transgender women and girls.
It came after The Sunday Times revealed that two Girl Guides leaders have been expelled from the organisation for refusing to follow the policy on inclusion, claiming that trans girls and women could make youth groups less safe.
Girlguiding released a statement standing with its trans members and volunteers. (Girlguiding/Facebook)
Lily joined Girlguiding’s Rainbows when she was seven years old, and later went to Brownies.
Speaking to the BBC’s The Victoria Derbyshire Show, Lily explained: “One of my favourite things about being a Brownie was that we did lots of fun games. At the time it was probably one of the most fun things I ever did.”
She added: “It just felt quite natural to me. Some of my friends from school, well, all my friends from school, knew that I was transgender. But the people from outside school didn’t really know.”
Asked how she would feel if she wasn’t allowed to go to Brownies because she is trans, Lily responded: “I don’t think that’s fair ‘cause I would say that I am a girl.”
The Victoria Derbyshire Show also spoke to Lily’s mum, who described the positive reaction from other girls at Brownies, and their families, to Lily joining the group.
“A lot of girls in that group, and therefore the families, were from school,” she said. “So, a lot of them kind of knew the story anyway.”
“The leaders were brilliant. They just included her as one of the girls—’cause she was one of the girls. Even when she went on brownie camp, that was again really, really good.”
Lily’s mum said that those people who are against trans girls being allowed at Girlguiding are “suggesting that trans girls are a threat.”
Helen Watts was one of two leaders expelled from Girlguiding for opposing its inclusion of trans women and girls. (Helen Watts/Facebook)
She added: “It’s just scaremongering.”
In the joint statement, chief guide Amanda Medler and chief executive Ruth Marvel hit-out at the criticism of its trans inclusion, both in the press and on social media, saying “much of it is inaccurate, aggressive and counter to the values we hold dear.”
A recent US survey showed there is no empirical evidence to the claim that allowing transgender people to use the public facility of their choice would increase violations of privacy and crime.
