(LifeSiteNews) — If you had told me a decade ago that organizations in the U.K. would be the first to begin rejecting gender ideology, I wouldn’t have believed it. But here we are.
In December, Girlguiding – the U.K.’s largest “girl-only organization” with roughly 300,000 young members – announced that their membership will now be “restricted to girls and young women.” One might be forgiven for thinking that was already the case, but Girlguiding, like so many other organizations, had been conquered by trans activists, and began admitting trans-identifying boys in 2017.
In fact, Girlguiding’s most controversial policy held that the male identity of trans-identifying members – who would accompany girls on camping and outdoor adventures – could not be disclosed, including to the parents of girls. The policy emphasized that trans-identifying boys could use changerooms and showers with the girls. In 2018, a Girlguide leader was fired for saying she would want to tell parents if a trans-identifying boy was on a Girlguiding trip.
Girlguiding emphasized that the decision to exclude boys was a “difficult one,” and has now followed it up with another decision: all trans-identifying boys must leave the organization by September 6. The organization stated that it is unaware of precisely how many trans-identifying members and volunteers it currently has.
Girlguiding, after exploring “detailed considerations, expert legal advice, and input for senior members, young members,” and the council and board of trustees, concluded that the deadline would help those impacted by the decision have “time to plan, access support, and decide when – between now and September – they feel ready to leave.” Trans-identifying volunteers will also have to move out of female-only roles into roles open to all – that is, male and female – volunteers.
The decision was made as a result of the 2025 U.K. Supreme Court ruling affirming that in equality law, “sex” refers to biological sex. Girlguiding stated that the decision was necessary to ensure that they were “operating lawfully” under its governing charity documents, “which effect how our membership eligibility is defined.”
According to Sky News, Girlguiding emphasized that they are “committed to standing up for the rights, safety and dignity of girls and women, and to supporting marginalised communities, including LGBTQ+ people, to improve the lives of girls” – but those rights no longer include permitting males into female spaces. Helen Joyce of Sex Matters noted that the “news will come as a relief to many girls and their parents, who greatly value single-sex provision.”
Predictably, LGBT groups have been outraged, and after the December decision, Guiders Against Trans Exclusion organized protests in some U.K. cities. Trans+ Solidarity Alliance claimed that the announcement is “heartbreaking for the children and volunteer leaders that hold Girlguiding together.”
Girlguiding was held together for over a century by girls and women, so I’m sure they will be just fine.
