In the wake of the release of the Cass review, the board is compelled to release a statement in support of our trans members, especially our children and young people who are trans and gender non-conforming.
Woodcraft Folk’s aims and principles include childrens’ rights, peace, equality and inclusion. We believe that the Cass review has the potential to undermine these values, and is harming our young members by causing anxiety surrounding their right to self-determination within an already hostile environment.
Woodcraft Folk aims to build an inclusive and socially just movement, where children and young people are safe to express themselves authentically. We respect and defend the rights of children and young people to self-identify and access affirming healthcare.
We affirm young people’s identities, and seek to remove the barriers that exist to their participation in our movement and in wider society. We are dedicated to building a more peaceful and just world, where all enjoy equal freedoms.
We are releasing this statement to stand in solidarity with trans people across the world, and to encourage our groups, districts and members to join together in support of each other to support those affected and to use our tools as vehicles for youth voice and social change. We hope this statement will empower our young members to take action, and aim to amplify youth voices in this space moving forward.
We await resources and guidance from our partners, namely the Kite Trust and Gendered Intelligence, who are forming a response to the review. In the meantime, we refer people to our policies and guidance on Trans Inclusion, and reaffirm that Woodcraft Folk is a safe and inclusive space for all of our young members, especially those who are trans and gender non-conforming.
If you have been affected by the Cass Review or would like to provide resources to support trans youth, please get in touch with us on general.council@woodcraft.org.uk
Some useful resources:
- Woodcraft Folk Trans Inclusion Guidelines.
- IFM-SEI Rainbow Resources Toolkit