Volunteer Surf Lifesavers have been told to “retrain” their brains when it comes to sex and gender. Instead of observing biological reality they will be asked to deny biological science and lie about reality.

The new draft “Diverse Gender Factsheet for Surf Life Saving Clubs” says it is more important to affirm gender diverse people than stick to the facts. They are also encouraging clubs to “modify existing change-rooms, bathrooms and showers to “gender neutral spaces” and build more unisex toilets”.

The new guidelines, which will be given to clubs across Australia, state that Surf Life Saving Australia members should become “educated on gender diverse identities and experiences”. 

“Avoid making assumptions or asking invasive questions about someone’s gender identity, expression, or history,” the guidelines state.

“Advocate for the rights and needs of gender diverse people in all communities.”

Incredibly, almost comically, the guidelines fumble around with how to overcome the desire to tell the truth.

“This can take a lot of practice to retrain your brain especially if you knew someone before transition with a different name or gender, so try to practice when you are alone or in your head,” it says.

There has already been pushback from members claiming the organisation has been  “hijacked by activists”.

“The movement has been hijacked by woke Americanism - from being a quintessentially Australian organisation which is all about volunteering to save lives, around mateship, to this progressive agenda,” one said. 

“To say you should retrain your brain is an outrageous thing to say.”

Another volunteer lifesaver said, “It employs ideological activist language.”

More concerning to me is the potential impact this could have on the safety and privacy standards traditionally upheld in sports, especially in changing areas where women and children are most vulnerable. 

The document seems to propose changes that could allow unaccompanied males unfettered access to female changing areas.”

Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce defended the policy and said it was important to make concessions for the 20 volunteers who identify as non-binary.

It is encouraging to see the pushback, with members of the public and volunteers challenging the nonsense. Surf lifesaving should be skill based training and service that saves lives, and makes our beaches and waterways safe and fun places to enjoy. Denying science is no way to instill confidence in the community about skills and knowledge that rely on biology.