Look out, that Girl Guide has a woggle

IN MAY 2013, shortly after she took over as chief executive of the Girl Guides, Julie Bentley promised to make the organisation more ‘diverse’ and ‘relevant’ to 21st-century Britain.

At the time, I wrote a column imagining where all this might lead. It took the form of a spoof newsletter, which began: ‘Girlguiding UK is an equal opportunities organisation, which does not discriminate on the grounds of race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

‘We particularly welcome applications from members of the transgendered, transsexual and intersex communities, who are currently underrepresented.’ I should have known better. It’s always tempting fate to make jokes about such things.

This week, four-and-a-half years on, it has been announced that the guides will in future allow boys who identify as female to share sleeping quarters, showers and toilets with girls.

Julie Bentley said: ‘In line with our values of inclusion, we welcome any young person who self-identifies as a girl or young woman.’ I don’t know whether to file this news under You Couldn’t Make It Up or Here We Go Looby Loo.