Choose an inclusion & diversity topic for more information
Girlguiding and LGBTQ+
Like with any form of diversity it’s important for LGBTQ+ members to know they are welcome in your meetings. Being welcome means more than not being discriminatory, you need to occasionally bring up topics around LGBTQ+ so it has a presence within your unit.
Useful Contacts
Email inclusion@ggsw.org.uk for more equality, diversity and inclusion advice
Resources
Unit Meeting Activities
Take Action: Pack 8- Binary Breakdown
Many of the Know Myself and Take Action UMAs and Skills Builders can be adapted to encompass LGBTQ+ topics
Educate and Celebrate
Free ‘classroom’ resources with activities aimed at all members under the age of 18.
Equality and diversity policy
Girlguiding’s inclusivity policy for LGBTQ+ members
LGBT Switchboard
Open every day between 10am-10pm on 0300 330 0630 to advise and help individuals.
Myth Busting
Homosexual role models might affect the sexual orientation of their children
There is no evidence to support this. In fact most LGBTQ+ individuals have heterosexual parents and live predominantly in heterosexual society.
You only come out once
Wrong, when starting a new school/job, making new friends or reconnecting with old friends it’s something LBGTQ+ people do again and again, if they choose to do so.
Being trans means having surgery
This isn’t always the case. Although gender reassignment surgery is common in the trans community it doesn’t mean that someone will want surgery. People transitioning may just be happy with coming out to friends/family, dressing differently or taking medication such as hormone replacement therapy or hormone blockers.
Queer is a derogatory term
Queer has been used and still can be used as a derogatory term but the term has actually been reclaimed by many LGBTQ+ individuals. Some individuals actually feel a freedom in identifying as queer, especially if they don’t neatly fit into a pre-existing label.