Lesbian Visibility Week, a chance to celebrate our Lesbian volunteers
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.
Why volunteering is so rewarding
Impressively, Lisa is the recipient of several long service awards, having volunteered with Cubs for over 30 years.
‘I was one of those slightly unusual leaders without children that went along to help a friend,’ she explains, ‘I liked it so much I stayed on.’
Talking to Lisa, it’s clear she puts a lot of work into volunteering and gets a lot out of it.
‘It’s very rewarding, you get a sense of achievement,’ she says.
It’s really all about that little kid who comes in with the really big jumper on, he’s eight and he’s all kind of frightened and not sure. Then two and a bit years later he leaves with the same jumper on and now it’s three inches from his wrists and he can hardly get it on. He’s full of a bit of swagger, he knows what he’s doing. He knows how to light a fire and he’s got tonnes of mates and he’s ready to move on and do the next thing.
Lisa, volunteer
Anna, a university student, currently volunteers with a Scouts and Explorers group. They’re clear why they volunteer.
‘Community really,’ they explain, ‘I’ve always said that you can go anywhere and there will always be a Scout group.’
Anna emphasises the rewarding nature of volunteering, and the positivity that comes from having shared values with others in Scouts.
‘You can just click in instantly. It’s such a massive part of my life,’ Anna says.
Did Anna and Lisa feel welcomed at Scouts when they came out as Lesbians?
Lisa was already out when she became a volunteer. She first started at Cubs back in 1990, which, she explains, was a different time.
‘Nobody asked, and you just didn’t say,’ she told us.
Did she feel supported? ‘I didn’t need too much support,’ says Lisa, ‘so I didn’t go out and seek it.’
It wasn’t until the late noughties that Lisa became more visible, as a Lesbian, with Scouts London Pride and in FLAGS. FLAGS is our National Scouts Active Support Unit that works with LGBTQ+ adults within Scouts.
‘Nobody (at Scouts) batted an eyelid,’ says Lisa, ‘which is just how it should be.’
Anna was an Explorer and Young Leader when they came out, and they reflect on an important role a volunteer played in making them feel accepted.
‘(Scouts is) massively welcoming in my experience,’ Anna says, ‘it 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.’
‘I came out to Scouts first, before other aspects of my life. I tried out different pronouns at Scouts first, because it’s such a welcoming space and I knew I could try things out,’ they add.
The importance of Lesbian role models for young people
Anna explains that in their time as an Explorer, they had no access to Lesbian or LGBTQ+ role models. It wasn’t until they were 16 or 17 that they met a gay Scout volunteer.
‘I didn’t have any queer role models, growing up as such. I wish I had more role models when I was that age. They’re so accepting – young people now,’ Anna said.
As for being a role model themselves, ‘I enjoy being the openly queer leader,’ Anna explains, ‘I think it’s cool the way things are going. I want to be that person for somebody.’
Lisa, a volunteer with Cubs, clearly sees the importance of role modelling, but doesn’t want to be put into ‘a box’.
‘I think I’m a good role model. But “role model” is all you need to put there. If you put “and she happens to be a Lesbian” that’s fine. I’m not one for putting somebody in a box, any kind of box.’
Most of the young people Lisa deals with are unaware she’s a Lesbian.
‘With Cub age, I’ve found they don’t really ask. Younger children are in a bubble to a certain degree. It’s later when they start asking questions about themselves that they start to enquire.’
What more could Scouts do for Lesbian volunteers?
Both Lisa and Anna point to the inclusive nature of Scouts.
Anna 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+ issues, such as the correct use of pronouns.
‘It’s lovely to answer questions when people are curious,’ Anna said.
They smile when they discuss the LGBTQ+ Scouts merchandise. ‘I think it would be really cool if Scouts came out with little pronoun badges for uniforms. It would make things really accessible,’ they tell us.
‘I’ve always felt welcome, and I’ve always welcomed people,’ Lisa explains, ‘And that goes for everyone else (in Scouts) that I’ve been involved with.’
In terms of active steps Scouts could make, Lisa suggests an addition to the welcome pack received by new volunteers.
‘There could be a welcome card,’ she explains, ‘that says if you wanted help on LGBTQ+ issues go to this website. You don’t need much, just something to say (Scouts) is welcome for all.’
An opportunity to assess and improve
It’s clear that Lesbian volunteers, and those from the wider LGBTQ+ community, are doing wonderful things, day in day out, in Scouts.
Events, such as Lesbian Visibility Week, are a useful reminder to recognise and thank these volunteers for everything they do.
It’s 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.
Thank you to Lisa and Anna for their time and amazing work in Scouts.