Girl Guides and Brownies to introduce 'inclusive' new uniform after row over trans children joining the clubs

Girl's group's iconic clothes to be redesigned for first time in over 30 years'Affordability, sustainability and inclusivity' will be at forefront of their redesign 

Girl Guides and Brownies are set to introduce ‘inclusive’ new uniform after a row over trans children joining the clubs.

The historic children’s group – which is now called Girlguiding – say they are undergoing a ‘brand refresh’ – as they say the iconic clothes will be redesigned for the first time in more than 30 years.

The set currently includes 38 options, which are worn by 370,000 girls and volunteers across the Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers.

And the organisation has said that ‘affordability, sustainability and inclusivity’ will be at the forefront of their redesign – as their partner HemmingwayDesign says that ‘ethics and environment’ are they key considerations in the new clothes.

It comes less than two years after Girl Guides sparked a trans row when they published an interview with the parents of a child who began ‘living as a girl’ from the age of five.

The largest organisation for girls in Britain was branded ‘dangerous’ after it boasted of its ‘trans inclusive’ credentials as it told the story of ‘Rainbow’, one of its newest ‘Brownies’, in its summer magazine.

The historic children’s group – which is now called Girlguiding – say they are undergoing a ‘brand refresh’ – as they say the iconic clothes will be redesigned for the first time in more than 30 years. Pictured: Girl guide troop in the 1980s

And the organisation has said that ‘affordability, sustainability and inclusivity’ will be at the forefront of their redesign. Pictured: Sophie Countess of Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor Countess of Wessex opens the newly refurbished Girlguiding headquarters in 2016

Speaking about the uniform transformation Director of Communications, Marketing and Fundraising at Girlguiding Amanda Azeez said: ‘We’re delighted to announce our partnership with HemingwayDesign, an organisation we feel will not only bring our vision for the uniform to life, but also authentically shares in the values and mission of Girlguiding.

‘Our uniform is the most iconic signifier of our brand to the public, but more importantly, it exists to unify and celebrate all our members.

‘We want our young members and volunteers alike to feel a sense of pride and belonging wearing their uniforms, and like the brand, it must therefore evolve to continue to reflect and represent our members and prospective members today and in the future.’

She added that the girls and the volunteers are involved in the design process and more than 20,000 have been surveyed for their opinions.

And they will even have the chance to submit their own design suggestions and ideas.

Wayne Hemingway, co-founder of HemingwayDesign and leader of the uniform design team, added: ‘The uniform industry has not been the quickest to respond to the environmental issues that society has to address.

‘The new uniform for Girlguiding project is an opportunity to listen to one of the largest communities of girls and young women in the UK and in particular new generations that are at the forefront of environmental thinking.

‘We urge each and every one of this influential 370,000 strong community to have their say and together let’s make a positive step for society.’

The set currently includes 38 options, which are worn by 370,000 girls and volunteers across the Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers. Pictured: Princess Elizabeth, patrol leader in the Buckingham Palace Company, sends a message by courier pigeon to Lady Baden Powell at Guide Headquarters in 1943 as Princess Margaret holds the pigeon container

The Girls’ groups will even have the chance to submit their own design suggestions and ideas. Pictured: File photo of Brownies

The uniforms across the four groups are set to be ‘more coherent’ as the organisation looks to make them feel more unified.

And 11-year-old Girl Guide Khushi said that the new uniform marks a change towards a ‘new generation’ where designs would make sure everyone is ‘properly represented’.

She continued: ‘I’m really looking forward to playing a part in helping to design the new uniform.

‘We are a new generation of Girlguiding and including us in the design ideas makes sure that that we are properly represented.

‘Our uniforms are so important as they let people know externally that we are part of Girlguiding, but also so that collectively we know we are part of the same family. The uniform makes sure that we are all equal and makes us feel as though we belong.’

The group sparked fury in 2022 after an article by parents Jane and Mike – not their real names – explain that when their child was born, they ‘assumed she was a boy’, before she began ‘identifying more with female characters, toys and books when she was 18 months old.’

Maya Forstater, director of the Sex Matters group that has been supported by the author JK Rowling, refused to recognise the child as a girl.

She said: ‘This from Girlguiding is such dangerous, reality-defying nonsense. A feminine little boy who likes to wear dresses may well grow up to be a gay man. He is not a girl.

Maya Forstater, director of the Sex Matters group that has been supported by the author JK Rowling, refused to recognise the child as a girl as she criticised the article on Twitter

Girlguiding chiefs previously advised staff to learn a glossary of words such as ‘aromantic’, ‘demisexual’ and ‘agender’and to encourage girls to learn the glossary in a task called the ‘vocabulary extravaganza’ Pictured: Girl Guides logo

‘The idea that a five-year-old knows their ‘true gender’ and should be socially transitioned and affirmed as being the opposite sex is extreme gender ideology, not cautious care.’

Some followers of Ms Forstater agreed with her, branding the piece ‘madness’, ‘dangerous’ and ‘bizarre.’

The mother in the article said ‘Rainbow’ had been ‘begging me to buy a dress to wear in public’, which she initially refused, before finally agreeing because ‘at least with the dress on, she could get back to being a kid’.

‘Jane’ added: ‘My child had always talked about the differences between boys and girls but her questions accelerated as she got older. One day she said to us in a quiet voice: ‘My real name is Rainbow.’

The article said Rainbow’s ‘journey’ happened during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

‘When she went back to school after lockdown, she returned as her true gender, female,’ it read.

The article had some advice for parents who may come across ‘Rainbow’ or other trans children at Girl Guides telling them to simply ‘correct’ themselves if they get it wrong.

Jane and Mike said: ‘Using wrong pronouns might feel like a terrible thing to happen, but the important thing is to correct yourself and keep going. If you see them as a girl, then using the right pronouns should happen naturally.

‘Trans girls feel like girls and should be treated as such – as our daughter has said, they are the same on the inside, where it counts.

‘And if other parents ask questions, it’s important to remember that transgender members deserve privacy in the same way everyone else does.’

At the time a Girlguiding spokesman said: ‘Girlguiding is an inclusive organisation which empowers members to find their voice and discover the best in themselves.

‘We’re proud to be trans-inclusive, and our trans-inclusive equality and diversity policy is grounded in the Equality Act 2010.

‘We want to ensure that all members receive a great guiding experience and members are regularly invited to write for our guiding magazine to articulate their positive experience of Girlguiding.’

It came after Girlguiding chiefs were accused earlier this month of promoting ‘woke claptrap’ after advising leaders to learn almost 100 terms linked to gender and sexual identity.

They advised staff to learn a glossary of words such as ‘aromantic’, ‘demisexual’ and ‘agender’, saying ‘it might be worth printing it off… so you can reference it’ with children.

The glossary also includes ‘pansexual’ – ‘attraction for members of all gender identities/expressions’ – and ‘constellation’, the structure of polyamorous relationships.