Girlguiding said it had made the ‘difficult decision’ to ban trans girls from its groups. (Getty)
Girlguiding said it had made the ‘difficult decision’ to ban trans girls from its groups. (Getty)
Girlguiding will no longer allow trans young people to join its scouting groups under new updates to its inclusion policies.
National governing charity Girlguiding announced on Tuesday (2 December) it had made the “difficult decision” to ban all trans girls from its groups, including the Rainbows, Brownies, and Guides and Rangers.
The organisation first allowed trans girls to join its scouting groups in 2017 after passing new guidelines aimed at supporting “all girls and young women”.
However, it has since reversed those guidelines following “detailed considerations” in the wake of the Supreme Court’s judgement determining that the 2010 Equality Act’s definition of a woman referred to “biological sex” only.
Girl Guides have announced changes to their policies. [Stock image] (Getty)
“From today, 2 December 2025, it is with a heavy heart that we are announcing trans girls and young women will no longer be able to join Girlguiding,” said in a statement.
“Following detailed considerations, expert legal advice and input from senior members, young members and our Council, Girlguiding’s Board of Trustees has made the difficult decision that Girlguiding must change following the Supreme Court’s ruling.”
Its updated Equality and Diversity Policy states that Girlguiding will only accept “biologically female” applicants which it claimed was “in line with the Equality Act 2010 definition”.
It noted that the majority of its adult roles, including unit helpers, district helpers, and administrative support, are open to all genders and so were “confident that no volunteers will have to leave the organisation”.
“This is a decision we would have preferred not to make, and we know that this may be upsetting for members of our community,” the organisation said, adding that trans members will be informed of developments next week.
“Girlguiding believes strongly in our value of inclusion, and we will continue to support young people and adults in marginalised groups,” it added. “Over the next few months, we will explore opportunities to champion this value and actively support young people who need us.”
Various human rights groups and activists have raised concerns over the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision, held in April, on trans people’s rights to access gendered spaces.
It has since been used by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which regulates the 2010 Equality Act, to justify updates to its code of practice on gender-exclusive spaces which could see trans people banned from public facilities and groups.
Non-binary Garden Court Chambers barrister and influencer, Oscar Davies, told PinkNews in September that organisations, including the EHRC, may have misconstrued what the ruling actually says, arguing it does not give anyone the right to “discriminate” against trans people.
“Now, the Supreme Court has said, ‘OK, well, a single-sex space means a space for biological sex,’ but the point here is that these provisions are permissive rather than exclusionary. This is where everyone keeps getting it wrong,” they said.
“If you have a single-sex space, my interpretation is that a trans person can still go into that single-sex space, but if someone complains, they can bring out a sex discrimination claim or the organisation can exclude that person, but that doesn’t happen automatically … The Equality Act is meant to be a shield rather than a sword. It’s not meant to attack people and get rid of their rights.”
