Transgender girls may no longer participate in the UK Girlguiding movement (known as Girl Scouts in some countries) following the highly criticised Supreme Court decision on the definition of women earlier this year.
Girlguiding, previously the Girl Guides Association, announced the decision on Tuesday, calling it “difficult”. Founded in 1910 as a counterpart to the Boy Scouts, the organisation is the UK’s largest youth body dedicated to girls. Trans girls were first allowed to become members in 2017.
“From today, 2 December, it is with a heavy heart that we are announcing trans girls and young women will no longer be able to join Girlguiding,” the charity said in a statement. “This is a decision we would have preferred not to make, and we know that this may be upsetting for members of our community.”
Supreme Court ruling prompts change
The organisation said the Board of Trustees made the decision following “detailed considerations, expert legal advice and input from senior members, young members and our Council”.
It explained that the move responds to the controversial UK Supreme Court ruling on 16 April 2025 that excluded transgender women from the legal definition of “woman” under the country’s Equality Act.
Girlguiding added that there will be no immediate changes for current members, with further information to follow.
The organisation insisted it remains committed to inclusion and, in the coming months, will “explore opportunities to champion this value and actively support young people who need us.”
Backlash and petition
The announcement sparked an immediate backlash. A petition was soon launched, attracting thousands of signatures calling on Girlguiding to reverse the decision, arguing that it “lacks both compassion and understanding of the very principles the organisation stands for.”
The petition stated: “Transgender individuals deserve a safe, nurturing space where they can learn, grow, and contribute to the community, just like anyone else.”
Women’s Institute follows suit
On Wednesday, the Women’s Institute – the largest women’s organisation in the UK – also announced it “can no longer legally offer formal membership to transgender women” after reviewing the Supreme Court judgement.
CEO Melissa Green said the decision was taken “with the utmost regret and sadness”, adding that the organisation has welcomed transgender women for more than 40 years. “This is not something we would do unless we felt that we had no other choice,” she noted.
Green further insisted that, despite the membership change, “we remain clear that our strong belief is that transgender women are women.”
Stonewall alarmed by exclusion
In response, Simon Blake, CEO of British LGBTQ+ equality group Stonewall, pointed out that the news came during the international 16 Days of Activism campaign and noted that a definitive interpretation of the ruling remains unclear.
He lamented that “organisations that have played an important role in empowering women and girls for decades are having to spend time and resources on decisions that are divisive and harmful, and that do not contribute to keeping women or girls safe.”
Blake expressed hope that expected statutory guidance from Great Britain’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) will clarify “how organisations can operate from the principle of inclusion, in line with their values, rather than one of exclusion.”
In May, also citing the Supreme Court ruling, England’s Football Association (FA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced bans on transgender women playing in women’s football and cricket, in a reversal of their previously inclusive policies.
