Scouts defend Islamophobia awareness badge: ‘All our badges attract scrutiny’
The Scouts UK governing body introduced the Islamophobia Awareness Month blanket badge with support from the Muslim Scout Fellowship
The governing body for scouting organisations in Britain has unveiled a new badge dedicated to teaching youngsters about Muslim life and history.
Scouts UK said it hoped the creation of the Islamophobia Awareness Month badge, with support from the Muslim Scout Fellowship, would “promote understanding, respect and inclusivity in scouts, as well as in the wider community”.
As a “blanket badge” rather than a uniform badge, it can be purchased for £1.80 by any scout without completing any requirements or tasks. Scouts UK, however, has made suggestions about how scouts can learn about Islam and Muslim community leaders, such as visiting a mosque or carrying out a joint activity with a local predominantly Muslim Scout group.
“We are an educational organisation,” said Scouts UK spokesperson Simon Carter. “Our job is to help young people take an active, positive role in their community.”
The organisation began considering introducing an Islamophobia Awareness Month badge 18 months ago as part of a range of topical blanket badges, Carter said. Previous badges issued include a Pride badge and an International Women’s Day badge while a Holocaust Memorial badge is in the works, according to Carter.
“I think it is important,” said Mohammad Irfaan, group leader of the Birmingham Sparkbrook Scouts. “Especially with what is going on in the media and the current political context, it’s very important to challenge the different stereotypes regarding Muslims and Islam.”
However, the badge has drawn negative attention from rightwing media outlets such as GB News, which cited the objections of several anonymous internet users and claimed the badge singled out special treatment for Muslims compared to other faith groups.
The Antisemitism Policy Trust welcomed the badge and said it hoped to continue discussions it had already begun with Scouts UK about antisemitism education within the organisation.
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“All of our badges attract close scrutiny,” said Carter. “We are a movement of 450,000 people. There is always someone who doesn’t like what we do. You have to take the view that if what you are doing is good youth work then it is important to do it and carry on.”
A recently unveiled Chef Activity Badge, which can be earned by scouts by cooking a two-course meal from scratch and demonstrating safe and responsible management of leftovers, has also resulted in complaints from adults, Carter said.
“You would think that cooking was not controversial but people asked if we really let children into the kitchen and light and play with a fire because it’s dangerous,” he said. “You need to help young people to tackle the world as it is and that includes cooking and dealing with different people’s perspectives and faiths.”
