LGBTQ+

For lots of people, being part of the LGBTQ+ community is an important part of their identity. There are loads of ways that you can support LGBTQ+ volunteers and members in your unit.

The chatting about LGBTQ+ topics in your unit page from Girlguiding has a super helpful glossary of terms and links to inclusive unit activities. There is also advice available for supporting lesbian, gay, and bisexual members, as well as supporting trans, and young trans members.

There are a number of organisations that offer resources and support, these include:

• LGBT Youth Scotland
• Gendered Intelligence
• The Proud Trust
• The Safe Zone Project

We want everyone involved in Girlguiding to have a great experience, whoever they are and wherever they’re from.

We expect everybody in Girlguiding to be treated fairly, and to treat others fairly, and keep equity in mind. Our commitment for equality, diversity and inclusion is to be a place where everyone is welcome, free to be themselves, and has an equal sense of belonging and our policies help us to achieve this.

You can find the Girlguiding policy on including everyone – whatever their faith, race, culture, nationality or sexual orientation here.

Read our digital safeguarding policy here and the procedure here.

See more about what you can do to help your area of Girlguiding be inclusive and welcoming here.

The characteristics our policies protect are:

• Age (18+). If a volunteer or staff member has the right skills and abilities for a role, they mustn’t be overlooked because of their age. You can find more information about this in our volunteer recruitment and vetting policy and on our unit guiding and sections webpage.
• Caring responsibilities. No one should face discrimination because they have caring responsibilities, including caring for a disabled person, older person or children. Take a look at our advice on how to help include carers and young carers.
• Children in care. Young members mustn’t face discrimination because they are, or have been, in care of a local authority. Read our advice on how to include children in care.
• Disability. We’re committed to making reasonable adjustments to support disabled volunteers, members, and staff members to have the same opportunities and experiences as anyone else. All disabled young members should be able to enjoy the same broad and balanced programme and experiences as other girls. Find out more on our including disabled members webpage.
• Gender reassignment. This is a protected characteristic that refers to trans people (people whose gender doesn’t correspond to their birth sex). A person has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment if they are proposing to undergo, are undergoing or have undergone a process or part of a process to reassign their gender. Gender reassignment is a personal process rather than a medical one. We’re proud to be a trans inclusive organisation. There will always be a warm welcome and a safe place for trans people in guiding, and we have guidance on how volunteers can make sure this is a reality. No volunteer, member or member of staff should be treated less favourably because they’re trans.
• Marital or civil partnership status. Volunteers, staff, and members, over 16 years old mustn’t be treated differently because they’re married or in a civil partnership. Find out more on our marriage and civil partnership webpage.
• Pregnancy and maternity. No volunteer, member or staff member should be treated less favourably because they’re pregnant, breastfeeding or have recently given birth, without good reason (like a health and safety risk). All practical changes must be made to accommodate them.
• Race. We know that it isn’t enough to not be racist – we have to be actively anti-racist. We all have a role to play in being actively anti-racist and living out our values of being inclusive and caring for others. By race we mean colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origins
• Refugees and asylum seekers. Nobody at Girlguiding should be treated less favourably because they are a refugee or seeking asylum. Find out more about supporting refugee and asylum-seeking members.
• Religion or belief (including the absence of religion or belief). Girlguiding is open to people of all faiths and philosophical beliefs and none. Any expression of religious or philosophical beliefs must be in line with Girlguiding’s code of conduct, policies and values. You can find more information on religion on our religious differences and guiding webpage.
• Sexual orientation. We celebrate difference and believe that all members, volunteers and staff should be proud to be themselves, without fear of discrimination. No one in Girlguiding should be treated less favourably based on their sexual orientation. Take a look at our guidance on supporting lesbian, gay and bisexual members for more information.
• Sex, (except that we’re a trans-inclusive, girl-only space). We believe we best meet the needs of girls and young women by being a girl-only charity, led by girls and young women. This is part of our Royal Charter (the document that explains how we run) and our research shows our young members support this. While all our staff positions are open to everyone, only girls can become young members. Some of our volunteer positions are only open to women too. To help us be as inclusive as possible, Girlguiding’s definition of girl and woman includes those who are biologically female (however they identify) and those whose gender is a girl or a woman (trans girls and trans women).
• Socio-economic status or class. Nobody at Girlguiding should be treated less favourably because of their socio-economic status or social class. We must try and remove barriers to taking part in Girlguiding based on this. Find out more about supporting members living in poverty.