We welcome the decision by the Scout Association to review its transgender policy (News, last week). Previous guidance, developed in partnership with the transgender lobbying group Mermaids, undermined safeguarding by promising “complete confidentiality”; promoted the idea that children as young as two can be identified as having a “true gender” that does not match their sex; and normalised the practice of teenage girls binding their breasts.
We urge Girlguiding to review its own policies to ensure that Brownies and Guides are also protected.
We are concerned about the role of groups such as Mermaids in the development of policy by schools and groups working with young people. The ideology it pushes causes gender-non-conforming children to believe they need unnecessary medical treatments, which risks their health. An inquiry is needed before a scandal breaks.
Dr Debbie Hayton, teacher and transsexual campaigner
Dr Heather Brunskell-Evans, philosopher and social theorist
Professor Michele Moore, University of Essex
Professor Richard Byng, University of Plymouth
Julie Bindel, journalist and feminist campaigner
Graham Linehan, writer and director
Lyn Alderson
Lynne Alderson, retired equal opportunities advisor
Dr Sophie Allen, Keele University
Cllr Lynne Anderson, North Lanarkshire Council
Julie Armstrong, parent
Beth Aze, parent
Jonathan Best, former director Queer Up North, writer and activist
Dr Michael Biggs, University of Oxford
Alice Bondi, retired psychotherapist
Laura Briggs, teacher
Rosie Brocklehurst
Cllr Amy Brookes, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Trinia Budge, ForWomenScotland
Cllr Lynne Caffrey, Gateshead Council
Marion Calder, ForWomenScotland
Beatrix Campbell OBE, writer
Dr Damian Clifford, consultant psychiatrist, Cornwall
Samantha Coleman, grandparent
Ruth Conlock, Social Worker
Stephanie Davies-Arai, Transgender Trend
Charlotte Delaney, writer and parent
Cathy Devine, independent researcher and parent
Fay Donnelly, artist and rad fem activist
James Dreyfus, actor
Dr Fiona English, writer, academic and parent
Professor Debbie Epstein, University of Roehampton
Simon Fanshawe, co-founder Stonewall and broadcaster
Maya Forstater, Cub Scout Leader
Professor Rosa Freedman, University of Reading
Jennifer Garnett, parent
Helen Gibson, ex-Labour Councillor and parent
Esther Giles, Labour Party activist and parent
Claire Graham, intersex advocate;
Judith Green, co-founder Woman’s Place UK
Jess Goldie, family & children’s worker and parent
J Gourley, former teacher
Kay Green, publisher
Emma Grover, child safeguarding officer
Kristina Harrison, political campaigner
Lin Harwood, retired social work lecturer
Dr Stephanie Hayton, teacher
Rebecca Heath, teacher and governor
Dr Alicia Hendley, clinical psychologist (retired) and author
Sian Henry, parent and school governor
Louise Hersee
Seven Hex, transsexual blogger
Dr Emma Hilton, University of Manchester
Sarah Honeychurch, University of Glasgow
Dr Chloë Houston, University of Reading
Dr EM, University of Cambridge
Karen Ingala Smith, service provider for women and children subjected to sexual and domestic violence
Bev Jackson, founding member Gay Lib Front
Sarah Jay, feminist campaigner
Kate Jerrold, parent
Diane Jones, retired social policy researcher
Dr Jane Clare Jones, writer and philosopher
Helen Joyce, journalist
Rae Kelcou, intersex advocate and writer
Cllr Leigh Kirton, Gateshead Council
Olly Lambert, documentary filmmaker
Dr Mary Leng, University of York
Amanda Lesiatoi, parent
Lisa Marchiano, Jungian analyst
Lucy Masoud, pupil barrister and trade unionist
Dr Susan Matthews, University of Roehampton
Dr Julie Maxwell, parent, paediatrician and school governor
Lily Maynard, parent and writer
Cllr Caroline McAllister, West Dunbartonshire Council
Joan McAlpine MSP
Dr Ruth McGinity, UCL Institute of Education
Matesa McKeefery, parent
Dr Louise Moody, University of York
Lewis, Lord Moonie
Catherine Muller, parent and grandparent
Dr Kath Murray, University of Edinburgh
Tish Naughton, parent
Stella O’Malley, psychotherapist and writer
Juliet Oosthuysen, parent
Fionne Orlander, transsexual campaigner
Deborah Orr, writer
Anya Palmer, barrister
Gill Parke, business support in children’s social services
Rebecca Pennington, parent
Professor Jo Phoenix, Chair in Criminology, The Open University
Dr Eva Poen, University of Exeter
Sonia Poulton, journalist and broadcaster
Veronica Quilligan, teacher, actor and parent
Mo Quinn, social worker, trade unionist and parent
Gwenan Richards, SOAS, University of London
Julia Diana Robertson, journalist and author
Abigail Rowland, poet and former teacher
Helen Saxby, writer and campaigner
Professor Sophie Scott, UCL
Ruth Serwotka, co-founder Woman’s Place UK;
Susan Sinclair, Women’s Rights Campaigner, Scottish Women
Jennifer Smith, former scout leader and parent
Susan Smith, ForWomenScotland
Tracey Smith, concerned lesbian
Patricia Spencer BEM, retired nurse and NHS board non-executive director
Professor Kathleen Stock, University of Sussex
Professor Judith Suissa, UCL Institute of Education
Professor Alice Sullivan, UCL
Holly Sutherland, Labour Party activist
Kim Thomas, journalist
Professor Selina Todd, University of Oxford
Isabelle Tracy, artist
Dianne Vine, parent and grandparent
Annie Gwillym Walker, community volunteer, parent and grandparent
Helen Watts, former leader at Girlguiding UK
Rod Webb, journalist
Dr Victoria Whitworth, writer and parent
Dr Nicola Williams, Fair Play For Women
Robert Withers, Jungian psychoanalyst
Alison Wren, retired biology teacher, parent and grandparent
Miriam Yagud, retired teacher
Miranda Yardley, accountant
Tania Ziegler, teacher and trade unionist
* This letter from myself and 122 others was published by The Sunday Times on 2 June 2019: Trans ideology is damaging children.
Debbie Hayton 