AlamyThe organization that oversees guiding groups in the UK has announced it will ban trans girls from joining.
Girlguiding said the move, which means it will not accept biological children who identify as girls, was in response to the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year which said sex meant biological sex in equality law.
The trustees said they had done the “difficult decision” with “great regret” and there would be further announcements about what this will mean for current members.
Trans rights organization TransActual said: “No problem is solved here, only harm is done.” Women’s rights charity Sex Matters said Girlguiding had done “the right thing” by making the change.
Around 385,000 girls and young women aged between four and 18 take part in Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers groups across the UK.
Girlguiding said: “From today (December 2), trans girls and young women, and others not registered as female at birth, will no longer be able to join Girlguiding as new young members.”
Girlguiding said there would be no immediate changes for young members, but more information would be shared next week.
It’s unclear how many people the rule change will directly affect, as the organization says it does not collect data on gender identity.
“This is a decision we would have preferred not to make and we know it may be upsetting to members of our community,” the trustees said.
“Girlguiding believes strongly in inclusion and we will continue to support young people and adults from marginalized groups.”
In UK law, the Equality Act 2010 sets out rules so that single-sex organizations and spaces can exclude members of the opposite sex.
In April, the Supreme Court ruled that this meant biological sex, meaning, for example, that a trans man could be excluded from a service created for men.
Draft guidelines on how to interpret the law drawn up by the equality watchdog, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), were submitted to the government for consideration in September. A leaked copy was reported last week, but has not been officially released.
Girlguiding said it made its decision after consulting with its members and receiving legal advice. It will now allow only biologically female members to join.
It said: “The charitable documents governing Girlguiding state that the members and people who benefit from our organization are girls and women.”
The organization was reportedly facing legal action from a parent who felt it was not following the law.
Biological girls who identify as boys can still join.
The organization also said that most adult roles were already open to all and that it was “confident that no volunteers will have to leave”.
Other adult roles are already specifically designated as female roles.
Reacting to the decision, Sex Matter chief executive Maya Forstater said Girlguiding had done “the only and right thing it could do”.
“Both girls and boys deserve opportunities for adventure and learning, and Girlguiding offers an organization just for girls.”
Trans rights activist Tammy Hymas of TransActual said: “It’s appalling that an organisation, which would happily be inclusive and has been for many years, is forced to exclude young trans women.”
