What do you see in the picture? Are these recent photos? These people are related -how do you think they are related?
The photos show Raymond Lloyd on the left and Sophie Lloyd on the right. They are the same person.
Sophie is a magician and in 1990, she applied to join the magic circle. The magic circle is an official group of magicians that has been running since 1905, when 23 magicians met at a restaurant in London and decided to form a society. There are currently 1700 members. To apply to be a member today, you have to pass a 20 minute magic test.
Sophie joined the magic circle as Raymond in 1990.
Why do you think she joined as Raymond?
Since 1905, the magic circle only admitted male members. Sophie would not be allowed to join as a woman so she dressed as Raymond, passed the test and was admitted.
Sophie was helped by another female magician, Jenny Winstanley, to get in to the magic circle. Jenny was interviewed at the time and said, "We really wanted to prove that women are as good as men."
Within 18 months, the magic circle changed its policy and in 1990, the group announced female magicians were allowed to join.
Sophie then felt she could reveal her true self and she told the group she was female.
What do you think happened next?
Many of the members were angry at Sophie, calling her actions a "deliberate deception". Sophie was expelled from the magic circle.
Do you agree this was "deliberate deception"? What is your opinion about Sophies actions?
What is your opinion about the magic circle and their response? Can you understand their position?
Today the magic circle is trying to find Sophie Lloyd.
Why do you think they are trying to find her?
The magic circle want to apologise to Sophie and invite her back, over 30 years after expelling her.
Why do you think they want to do this?
Today the magic circle has a female chair, Laura London. Laura says, "It's almost as if they just made her vanish from thin air, tried to brush it under the carpet, but obviously now the story has come out and we're so desperate to right this wrong."
What does "brush it under the carpet" mean? Why were the magic circle doing that?
"I think just to even sit down with her and hear her side of the story would be wonderful for us. But more than that, we could invite her back in to the society, which would be the most incredible thing."
But no one can find Sophie, it is almost as if she has vanished!
Laura says, "We really don't know what happened to her. But I'd like to think that maybe we can give her some closure to this extraordinary thing that she did, let her know it was remembered, that it will go down in history. I think it's really important to tell her: thank you for everything and we're very sorry for what happened."
Laura says what Sophie did is "so appreciated from all of us women now."
- Why do the magic circle want to apologise for something that happened over 30 years ago?
- Does it matter if it was so long ago?
- "We really wanted to prove that women are as good as men." why did Jenny and Sophie want to prove that?
- Why do you think no one can find Sophie? Has she really vanished? (she is a magician, after all!)
- If she is found, do you think Sophie should re-join the magic circle?
- What can we learn from Sophie in this story?
- why is this story about No Outsiders?
- Which British value is this about?
No Outsiders: We belong here by Andrew Moffat (scheme of work for primary schools)
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