Girl Scouts Transgender Statement Draws Backlash From Religious Organizations
The Girl Scouts have released a statement on their website, saying that they have created a new policy that will now accommodate and offer a safe place for transgender boys.
The message, titled “The Meaning of ‘Serving All Girls,” and written by Andrea Bastiani Archibald, Ph.D., Chief Girl Expert, GSUSA, explains the importance of diversity in the program, and says “if a girl is recognized by her family, school and community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her.”
“Girl Scouts has valued and supported all girls since our inception in 1912. There is not one type of girl. Every girl’s sense of self, path to it, and how she is supported is unique.”
“The foundation of diversity that Juliette Gordon Low established runs throughout Girl Scouting to this day. Our mission to build “girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place” extends to all members, and through our program, girls develop the necessary leadership skills to advance diversity and promote tolerance.”
“If a girl is recognized by her family, school and community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe. Inclusion of transgender girls is handled at a council level on a case by case basis, with the welfare and best interests of all members as a top priority.”
“As we face a complex and rapidly changing 21st century, our nation needs all girls to reach their full potential, which has been our focus for more than 103 years.”
The new policy is drawing backlash from religious groups, some going as far as creating petitions asking for them to “rescind the GSA policy that allows transgender kids to become members.”
“As a fellow American and one who admires what scouting has done for generations of young women and their communities, I urge you to rescind the GSA policy that allows transgender boys to become members. This policy undermines the trust that parents place in the GSA’s leadership to make wise decisions and the obligation the GSA has to protect their daughters.”
“Please, stop listening to the few individuals who would use young boys as pawns in the culture war and destroy this organization in the process of advancing their social agenda.”
“The GSA has the constitutional right to govern and restrict its youth membership only to biological girls…and for the sake of its future, it should.”
Nearly 32,000 people have signed the American Family Association petition requesting discrimination against transgender youth.
#GirlScouts is now accepting #transgender boys. Their cookies may be delicious, but this leaves a bad taste. http://t.co/ynPGqh8IP4
— Charisma News (@charisma_news) May 15, 2015
Concerned Women for America’s Penny Nance joined the American Family Radio program Today’s Issues on Wednesday, calling the policy a “slap in the face to Christian parents.”
“And now this latest thing is just one more slap in the face to Christian parents,” Nance said, “which is now you don’t have to be a girl to be a member of Girl Scouts. You can just be questioning your gender or a boy who would like to be a girl.”
“I think this is a place, frankly, for the church to be the church and for people that are marginalized in society, for us to love them,” she added, “but we also can’t lose our minds.”
What do you think about the Girl Scouts’ decision to allow transgender kids? Leave your comments below.
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