{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Chris McGuire","standfirst":"Did you know 24 to 30 April is Lesbian Visibility Week? We chatted with volunteers, Anna and Lisa, about the visibility campaign and their experiences within Scouts.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy volunteering is so rewarding\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EImpressively, Lisa is the recipient of several long service awards, having volunteered with Cubs for over 30 years.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018I was one of those slightly unusual leaders without children that went along to help a friend,\u2019 she explains, \u2018I liked it so much I stayed on.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETalking to Lisa, it\u2019s clear she puts a lot of work into volunteering and gets a lot out of it.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It\u2019s very rewarding, you get a sense of achievement,\u2019 she says.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/20672/lisa.jpg","width":1536,"height":1536,"altText":"Smiling, Lisa wears a rainbow necker. She wears a \u0027Scout Pride\u0027 sticker on her face.","caption":"Lisa","link":null},{"quoteText":"It\u2019s really all about that little kid who comes in with the really big jumper on, he\u2019s eight and he\u2019s all kind of frightened and not sure. Then two and a bit years later he leaves with the same jumper on and now it\u2019s three inches from his wrists and he can hardly get it on. He\u2019s full of a bit of swagger, he knows what he\u2019s doing. He knows how to light a fire and he\u2019s got tonnes of mates and he\u2019s ready to move on and do the next thing.","attribution":"Lisa, volunteer","gridType":"quote","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EAnna, a university student, currently volunteers with a Scouts and Explorers group. They\u2019re clear why they volunteer.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Community really,\u2019 they explain, \u2018I\u2019ve always said that you can go anywhere and there will always be a Scout group.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnna emphasises the rewarding nature of volunteering, and the positivity that comes from having shared values with others in Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018You can just click in instantly. It\u2019s such a massive part of my life,\u2019 Anna says.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/20671/anna.jpg","width":700,"height":933,"altText":"In their volunteer uniform, Anna is smiling. Anna wears glasses and a \u0027They/Them\u0027 badge.","caption":"Anna","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDid Anna and Lisa feel welcomed at Scouts when they came out as Lesbians?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELisa was already out when she became a volunteer. She first started at Cubs back in 1990, which, she explains, was a different time.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Nobody asked, and you just didn\u2019t say,\u2019 she told us.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDid she feel supported? \u2018I didn\u2019t need too much support,\u2019 says Lisa, \u2018so I didn\u2019t go out and seek it.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt wasn\u2019t until the late noughties that Lisa became more visible, as a Lesbian, with \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/including-everyone/lgbtplus/scout-pride/scout-pride-2023/\u0022\u003EScouts London Pride\u003C/a\u003E and in \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.flagscouts.org.uk\u0022\u003EFLAGS\u003C/a\u003E. FLAGS is\u00A0our National Scouts Active Support Unit that works with LGBTQ\u002B adults within Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Nobody (at Scouts) batted an eyelid,\u2019 says Lisa, \u2018which is just how it should be.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnna was an Explorer and Young Leader when they came out, and they reflect on an\u00A0important role a volunteer played\u00A0in making them feel accepted.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018(Scouts is) massively welcoming in my experience,\u2019 Anna says,\u00A0\u2018it was lovely when I got to 16 and I came out in Scouts. My leader got me a fleur-de-lis gay badge and the little bracelets you can buy at Scout store. It was really sweet and lovely.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018I came out to Scouts first, before other aspects of my life. I tried out different pronouns at Scouts first, because it\u2019s such a welcoming space and I knew I could try things out,\u2019 they add.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19969/scouts-at-pride.jpg","width":3936,"height":2624,"altText":"Scouts walking in a Pride march wearing rainbow neckers.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe importance of Lesbian role models for young people\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnna explains that in their time as an Explorer, they had no access to Lesbian or LGBTQ\u002B role models. It wasn\u2019t until they were 16 or 17 that they met a gay Scout volunteer.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018I didn\u2019t have any queer role models, growing up as such. I wish I had more role models when I was that age. They\u2019re so accepting \u2013 young people now,\u2019 Anna said.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs for being a role model themselves, \u2018I enjoy being the openly queer leader,\u2019 Anna explains, \u2018I think it\u2019s cool the way things are going. I want to be that person for somebody.\u2019\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELisa, a volunteer with Cubs, clearly sees the importance of role modelling, but doesn\u2019t want to be put into \u2018a box\u2019.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018I think I\u2019m a good role model. But \u201Crole model\u201D is all you need to put there. If you put \u201Cand she happens to be a Lesbian\u201D that\u2019s fine. I\u2019m not one for putting somebody in a box, any kind of box.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMost of the young people Lisa deals with are unaware she\u2019s a Lesbian.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018With Cub age, I\u2019ve found they don\u2019t really ask. Younger children are in a bubble to a certain degree. It\u2019s later when they start asking questions about themselves that they start to enquire.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat more could Scouts do for Lesbian volunteers?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth Lisa and Anna point to the inclusive nature of Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnna explains that they find it easier to relax in environments where everyone understands about pronouns. They are keen for more education for volunteers about LGBTQ\u002B issues, such as the correct use of pronouns.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It\u2019s lovely to answer questions when people are curious,\u2019 Anna said.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey smile when they discuss the LGBTQ\u002B Scouts merchandise. \u2018I think it would be really cool if Scouts came out with little pronoun badges for uniforms. It would make things really accessible,\u2019 they tell us.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018I\u2019ve always felt welcome, and I\u2019ve always welcomed people,\u2019 Lisa explains, \u2018And that goes for everyone else (in Scouts) that I\u2019ve been involved with.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn terms of active steps Scouts could make, Lisa suggests an addition to the welcome pack received by new volunteers.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018There could be a welcome card,\u2019 she explains, \u2018that says if you wanted help on LGBTQ\u002B issues go to this website. You don\u2019t need much, just something to say (Scouts) is welcome for all.\u2019\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/20249/the-back-of-a-purple-t-shirt-that-says-scout-pride-pride-in-our-values-values-is-handwritten-and-the-fleur-de-lis-is-on-a-rainbow-background.jpg","width":3936,"height":2624,"altText":"Back view of someone wearing a purple t-shirt with a Scout Pride badge and the words \u0027Scout Pride: Pride in Our Values\u0027","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn opportunity to assess and improve\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s clear that Lesbian volunteers, and those from the wider LGBTQ\u002B community, are doing wonderful things, day in day out, in Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEvents, such as Lesbian Visibility Week, are a useful reminder to recognise and thank these volunteers for everything they do.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s also a time to be mindful of our Scouts values, acting respectfully to one another, and always seeking to improve whatever we do to make sure Scouts is truly inclusive and welcoming to all.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Promo","cta":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThank you to Lisa and Anna for their time and amazing work in Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E","link":null,"colour":"#ffb4e5","title":"","image":null,"imageFocus":"","imageId":0,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"25 April 2023","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"LGBTQ\u002B in Scouts","url":"/volunteers/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/lgbtqplus/","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"FLAGS","url":"https://www.flagscouts.org.uk","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Discover our Pride activities","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities?name=pride","newWindow":true}],"relatedLinks":[],"id":50931,"nodeName":"Lesbian Visibility Week, a chance to celebrate our Lesbian volunteers","title":"Lesbian Visibility Week, a chance to celebrate our Lesbian volunteers","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/20662/the-back-of-a-purple-t-shirt-that-says-scout-pride-pride-in-our-values-values-is-handwritten-and-the-fleur-de-lis-is-on-a-rainbow-background.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dac2f021047210","caption":"The Back Of A Purple T Shirt That Says \u0027Scout Pride Pride In Our Values\u0027. 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