Earth Walker
April 22nd, 2001, 01:06 PM
Britain's Guide Association is to teach teenage girls
about lesbianism in a move that has been denounced
as a betrayal of its principles.
Under plans being drawn up with the Sex Education
Forum, a government-funded relationship service, the
association will train its guide leaders on how to advise
girls worried about their sexuality. Counsellors will be
employed to give girls more detailed information and
support, or to take over where leaders are reluctant,
or too embarrassed to talk about sex.
The association, which came under fire last year after
publishing a book with a girl unrolling a condom on its
cover, is providing the advice on lesbianism as part of a
wider initiative to teach girls about relationships.
The organization says the move will make it "more
relevant" to the modern world and ensure it remains
"open and inclusive."
Opponents, however, said the association, whose
president is Princess Margaret and whose former
members include U.K. first lady Cherie Blair and cabinet
minister Kate Hoey, was making a mistake.
Robert Whelan, director of Family and Youth Concern,
a parent's pressure group, said: "It is tragic that this
movement, which was set up to encourage the highest
standards of behavior and idealism among young
people, has gone so far off track."
Denise King, deputy chief of the Guide Association,
which has 600,000 members aged five to 25, said: "it
is quite normal for girls to have questions they want to
discuss and lesbianism will be one of them. If it comes up we need to be able to help them."
---Sunday Telegraph
about lesbianism in a move that has been denounced
as a betrayal of its principles.
Under plans being drawn up with the Sex Education
Forum, a government-funded relationship service, the
association will train its guide leaders on how to advise
girls worried about their sexuality. Counsellors will be
employed to give girls more detailed information and
support, or to take over where leaders are reluctant,
or too embarrassed to talk about sex.
The association, which came under fire last year after
publishing a book with a girl unrolling a condom on its
cover, is providing the advice on lesbianism as part of a
wider initiative to teach girls about relationships.
The organization says the move will make it "more
relevant" to the modern world and ensure it remains
"open and inclusive."
Opponents, however, said the association, whose
president is Princess Margaret and whose former
members include U.K. first lady Cherie Blair and cabinet
minister Kate Hoey, was making a mistake.
Robert Whelan, director of Family and Youth Concern,
a parent's pressure group, said: "It is tragic that this
movement, which was set up to encourage the highest
standards of behavior and idealism among young
people, has gone so far off track."
Denise King, deputy chief of the Guide Association,
which has 600,000 members aged five to 25, said: "it
is quite normal for girls to have questions they want to
discuss and lesbianism will be one of them. If it comes up we need to be able to help them."
---Sunday Telegraph