Girl Guides Of Canada Have A New Name For 'Brownies' After Concerns Of Racial Harm (VIDEO)
"With this new name, we’re showing girls that what they say matters..."
A graphic with the Brownies badge. Right: A young girl running.
The Girl Guides of Canada have officially announced the name that will replace "Brownies" — soon to be the former term used for the branch of 7 and 8-year-olds within the group.
On Wednesday, January 11, the organization revealed the name as well as the meaning behind it.
"Our new branch name is EMBERS!" tweeted Girl Guides of Canada. "Embers are full of potential and when they work together, they can ignite a powerful flame!"
"With this new name, we’re showing girls that what they say matters, and that Girl Guides is a place for everyone to belong."
\u201c\ud83d\udce3 Our new branch name is EMBERS! \ud83d\udd25 Embers are full of potential and when they work together, they can ignite a powerful flame! \n \nWith this new name, we\u2019re showing girls that what they say matters, and that Girl Guides is a place for everyone to belong. https://t.co/hXSPTW5muu\u201d— Girl Guides of Canada (@Girl Guides of Canada) 1673450166
In a follow-up tweet, they shared that current Girl Guides were part of the new name selection process and were "overwhelmingly in favour of Embers as the new branch name."
According to the Girl Guide website, both current and former members who identify as Black, Indigenous and people of colour say the name Brownies caused them harm.
"Some do not want to be part of this branch because of the name. Some girls choose to skip this branch altogether or delay joining Girl Guides until after this branch," says Girl Guides. "This branch name is a barrier to racialized girls and women feeling part of the Guiding sisterhood and we cannot use a word that causes any girl harm."
The organization acknowledges that while the name Brownies does stem from folklore, the current connotation can lead to "teasing and racist comments."
"This wasn’t just about a name or its origin. This was about the fact that girls experienced racism and felt that they weren’t welcome in Girl Guides," said Jill Zelmanovits, CEO of Girl Guides of Canada, in a press release emailed to Narcity Canada.
The organization will fully adopt the term Embers by September 1, 2023.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.