“Brownies” were helpful, magical, elf-like figures from English and Scottish folklore, but an email sent to volunteers Nov. 15 said the organization has heard from “racialized” girls and former members “that the name Brownies has hurt them. Some don’t want to be part of this ... because of the name.” The GGC defined “racialized” as “black, indigenous, and people of color.”
The Brownies are a branch of Guides that offers regular meetings for girls aged seven and eight, with activities such as hobbies, outdoor adventures, skills building, and games. There are also Sparks for a younger age group and Rangers for teenage girls.
In a statement, CEO of GGC Jill Zelmanovits said the organization is “changing the name of this branch to further remove the barriers of membership for racialized girls and women.”
“It is clear that this change is the right thing to do—Girl Guides cannot be represented by a term that causes any girl harm,” Zelmanovits said.
She added that the Girl Guides are focused on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” and that the organization needs to “listen to the lived experiences of racialized girls.”
Girl Guides of Canada said it consulted with “racialized” members and the community, and later this month, members will be asked to help decide from a list of two names. The new name will be announced in January 2023.
The organization said it will ask members not to wear Brownies-branded clothing when representing the CGG after Sept. 1, 2023.
The Brownies were initially named “Rosebuds,” but that name was changed to Brownies, and in 2010, references to God and religion were removed from the program. In 2015, the Girl Guides of Canada allowed boys identifying as “transgirls” to join the program.
