Scouts aged eight play 'pronoun' game with 'non-binary' butterflies

Scouting used to be all about challenging outdoor activities – but leaders are now introducing children as young as eight to the world of gender identity.

The movement has been accused of indoctrination for encouraging youngsters to play a 'fun' game called Pronoun Pairs using animal cards.

It features Billy the butterfly, who is 'non-binary' and uses the pronouns they/them, Leslie the ladybird, who identifies as female and uses 'she/her' and Sam the dog, who is male and is referred to as he/him.

A second set of cards features an activity and, to win a card, scouts have to 'say a sentence linking the character to the activity by the correct pronouns'.

Scouts are also encouraged to state their own preferred pronouns, and leaders should use 'gender-neutral language' such as 'sibling' rather than brother or sister, or 'parent', 'carer' or 'grown-up' rather than 'mum and dad'. 

Scouts UK says the moves were introduced to 'ensure there is more kindness in the world'.

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But the movement has faced a backlash. Maya Forstater, of the human-rights charity Sex Matters, said: 'Teaching children that they can't use ordinary words like 'he' for a man and 'she' for a woman is a shocking abuse of the trust parents place in the Scouts. 

Children are being told they must make adults feel 'loved and accepted' by pretending men can be women and going along with an ideology that claims people can 'identify' into any so-called 'gender', or have no gender at all.

'Activist groups claim that using preferred pronouns is polite and inclusive. In reality, it's conceding the central falsehood of trans activists – that people's sex is a trivial matter, and their identity claims are all-important.

'Requiring children and families who join the Scouts to be indoctrinated into this ideology is belief discrimination. This activity needs to be stopped.'

Caroline Ffiske, of Conservatives for Women, said: 'We need to recognise that this isn't about inclusion, but about grooming children into bodily disassociation and discomfort. It is not kind. It is cruel and it has consequences.'

Scouts UK confirmed the programme on inclusive language, including Pronoun Pairs, was 'for eight to 18-year-olds', adding: 'Helping young people to use language that works for everyone is a good way to show kindness and respect and to ensure that everyone feels welcome.'