The Cambridge University Scout and Guide Club (CUSAGC) has affirmed its commitment to trans inclusion, after the recent controversial decision by Girlguiding to exclude trans girls and women.

In a statement released on Facebook and Instagram last Wednesday (03/12), the Club stated: “After the statement from Girlguiding yesterday on the involvement of trans members of the movement, we want to remind you all that CUSAGC is, and always will be, a club that is inclusive of all members, regardless of members’ gender identity and other protected characteristics.”

The statement continued to assert that the club remains “a safe place for everyone,” and encouraged anyone affected by the change who “wants to talk to someone” to “reach out to us”.

The message was also emailed to club members last Tuesday evening (02/12), following Girlguiding’s announcement.

The post, which quickly gained hundreds of likes, stands in opposition to the updated equality and diversity policy of national organisation Girlguiding released last Tuesday (02/12) which banned trans girls from being Girlguiding members.

Girlguiding’s statement released on Tuesday read: “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.”

It cited the April 2025 Supreme Court ruling that interpreted ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 as referring to biological sex.

The organisation’s trustees said that the decision was one they “would have preferred not to make” and acknowledged that “this may be upsetting for members of our community”.

In response to Girlguiding’s decision, the CUSAGC committee told Varsity: “As a club governed by the Student Scout and Guide Association and not Girlguiding, we are not in a position to comment on the recent change in policy. We have made it clear that we are, and will always be, a club open to everyone.”

CUSAGC is Cambridge’s club affiliated with the Student Scout and Guide Association (SSAGO), which is formally recognised by Girlguiding and is an associate organisation of The Scout Association.

The club is open to all students in higher education in Cambridge, organising activities for members and engaging with local Scouting and Guiding communities.

Girlguiding assured that young members would not be affected by any immediate changes and added that it was “confident that no volunteers will have to leave,” noting that most adult roles are already open to all genders.

The statement continued: “Girlguiding believes strongly in inclusion, and we will continue to support young people and adults in marginalised groups.”

The club is among several groups that have addressed Girlguiding’s policy change. Organisations such as TransActual have condemned the decision, and hundreds of Girlguiding volunteers have threatened to resign unless the trans ban is overturned, arguing that it contradicts the organisation’s core values.

On its website, Girlguiding describes itself as “the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls,” where “all girls have a home”. Around 385,000 girls and young women between the ages of four and 18 are members of Girlguiding groups in the UK.