Years back, I responded to a request from the local girl guides to assist at a camp by providing firewood and setting up the toilets, tents, etc. This was done before the camp started.

It transpired that there was a shortage of volunteers to cook the breakfasts, so I was approached and agreed to help, along with a few of my Apex mates, on the understanding that we would not be close to or in contact with any of the girls. This was readily agreed.

Long story short - the head Guide chucked a fit, we were banned, some of the other ladies withdrew because of their embarassment and I have had nothing to do with that irrationally sexist movement since, either as a parent or as a helper. As a member of other community organisations, when any request for support is received from Guides, I always ask whether the anti-male policy still exists. Thus far, the result has invariably been that the request has been declined.

I note that the "problem" in my old town has been permanently resolved. The town concerned no longer has a Guide group and the regional campsite has not been used for ten years, although I know that the owners would, if approached, consider such a request favourably.

Qantas and Virgin, take note: you might be next.

>>We have to deal with the reality of what the bulk of humans are: a very dodgy lot as the interest in child porn demonstrates!<<

Fail. The bulk of humans are decent lot but the dodgy few attract the attention of the media and because they're over-represented in the media people get a skewed impression of their prevalence. An interest in child porn is a very rare aberration not a commonplace hobby.

Cheers,

Tony

>>Long story short - the head Guide chucked a fit, we were banned, some of the other ladies withdrew because of their embarassment and I have had nothing to do with that irrationally sexist movement since, either as a parent or as a helper. As a member of other community organisations, when any request for support is received from Guides, I always ask whether the anti-male policy still exists.<<

The Guides are weird. They were formed back in the days when Boy Scouts was for boys and Girl Guides was for girls. But for some time now the Scouts have been gender neutral: girls are no longer excluded. So the reason for the Guides' existence has disappeared and yet it continues on.

I did once ask a Guide leader why girls were allowed into Scouts but boys were excluded from Guides. She said that males are allowed to join but they'd have to wear female uniforms because the Guides didn't have any male uniforms. I think she may have been yanking my chain.

Good luck to the Guides I suppose but the girls I knew in Scouts chose it over Guides because they thought Guides were outdated. That's generally not a good image when you're trying to attract young people.

Cheers,

Tony

If this is a feminist conspiracy, it's not very week thought through.

The last place I want to sit on a long flight is next to unaccompanied brats. If we all have an equal risk of this dismal prospect then I suppose it’s fair enough, but if my chances of being placed besides someone else’s kids are double the population average just because I'm a woman, that hardly seems fair.

What a terrible situation we men now find ourselves in. Though retired from the police, I nethertheless, remained reasonably fit.

As a youth I spent some years in the Scouting movement, thus I still retain a rudimentary understanding of their particular aims and objectives.

Accordingly, some little time ago, having now quite a bit of time on my hands, I was approached by the Boy Scout movement enquiring if I would assist as an examiner for some of the proficiency 'tests' the scouts seek to undertake.

This procedure is embarked upon, in order for a Scout to achieve a particular badge, indicating a level of competency in a specific area.

The thought that I might once more enter into a bygone era that held such considerable fondness and attraction for me, particularly now that I'm in my retirement, I was absolutey delighted at this prospect.

I discussed the proposal with my wife, and took my time to come to a well considered decision.

Then, unfortunately my thoughts sadly regressed back to the reality of my previous occupation, and the ugly spectre of one of the most hideous crimes (in my opinion) that can be occasioned against another, the most vulnerable amongst us...pedophilla ! Immediately, I was launched back into the real world.

There's no way I'd care to jeopardise my good fame and reputation, by knowingly exposing myself to that sort of perilousness and risk.

As I've stated at the beginning...'What a terrible situation we men now find ourselves in' ?

I really do dispair at this ailing even moribund (iniquitous) old world, on which we all reside. What hope is there if a man can never again be trusted, with the care of our young ?