Disabled boy denied camp place over mum’s ‘preferred pronoun’ refusal

A disabled boy has been rejected from an activity camp in Scotland after his mum objected to using ‘preferred pronouns’ on the booking form.

Over the Wall Camp (OTW), a Derby-based charity, rejected the boy’s application shortly after a phone call in which the mother insisted “biology cannot be changed” and refused to register her eight-year-old son’s ‘gender identity’.

In 2021, a judge ruled that believing someone cannot change sex is a protected belief under the Equality Act.

Inclusive environment

The charity claims that the child was rejected due to his mother being “aggressive” in expressing her views on the phone, not because of her beliefs about biological reality.

However, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed an internal report which explained: “Based on the conversation, it is clear that [the mother’s] views on gender and inclusivity do not align with the values we uphold at Over The Wall Camp.

“We will be making the family unsuccessful for this year’s camp due to the lack of alignment with our inclusive environment.”

An OTW spokesperson added: “Our decision was influenced by the fact that we had accepted a family with a transgender child for that camp, and considering [the mother’s] strong views on gender and her right to express them, we thought it prudent that she did not attend that camp to avoid any potential issues or conflict.”

‘Scandalous’

Fraser Hudghton, Director of the Free Speech Union Scotland, which supported the mother in submitting the FOI request, commented: “The facts of this case are plain. Here we have a young child with a lifelong health condition prevented from attending a summer camp designed specifically for boys and girls like him.”

He added: “This boy hasn’t had that chance solely because his mum said what the rest of us are thinking; that it is absurd to ask a question like that of a young child. It is scandalous.”

Susan Smith, Co-Director of For Women Scotland, described OTW’s action as “a clear-cut case of discrimination”. She continued: “As ever, it seems that ‘inclusion’ only extends to those who share a narrow world view.

“It is extremely troubling that a charity dealing with children with special needs are insistent that they will coerce them to deny the reality of sex, something that the children may experience as profoundly upsetting and confusing.”

Protected belief

Lord Young, the General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, wrote to the Charity Commission and the Scottish charity regulator last week over the issue, stating: “We believe that Over the Wall Camp has not met its objects in that it has failed to properly meet the needs of a child suffering from a long-term health condition.”

The letter added: “In refusing to allow a child with a long-term health condition and his family to use the charity’s services, Over the Wall Camp has opened itself up to serious reputational damage.

“The charity has taken a strong position against a widely held and legally protected belief, explicitly referring to the ‘views’ of the service user as a reason as to why the family could not be permitted to use the camp.”