How do you feel about GSUSA of Colorado's decision?

Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
It came out this fall that the Girl Scouts of America in Colorado has decided to allow all girls, regardless of the sex they were born, to be Girl Scouts. As per usual, any time any steps are made in the progression of tolerance in LGBT issues, there is lots of backlash.

One Girl Scout has come out publicly to reprimand the Girl Scouts for this decision and is pleading that we boycott cookies so that the Girl Scouts will no longer support this decision. There are many poignant, humorous, and poorly constructed responses to her in form of videos, since commenting on the OP is disabled. (Including a response from our very own community member, Buck Angel!)

How do you feel? Do you think that GSUSA should repeal their decision of tolerance? Do you feel that it opens the door for girls to be unsafe? Or do you feel that this is amazing progress? Do you feel that girls (of any sex) should be welcome in this organization and ones like it?

I left this private for anonymity, but if you're so inclined, please leave your thoughts!

(I'll post my opinion below)
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
I am
19
Trans
18
Cis
16
Fluid
10
And I
13
Was involved in the GSUSA at some point in my life
18
Was not involved in the GSUSA at some point in my life
18
And I feel that the GSUSA
22
Is on the right track
35
Is not on the right track
3
And I'll
17
Be buying cookies in support of this decision (regardless of if I SHOULD)
30
Not be buying cookies to protest this decision
Other. I just want to be a Barbie Girl in a Barbie World.
4
Total votes: 223 (43 voters)
Poll is closed
01/12/2012
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Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
I completely support GSUSA of Colorado's decision and I even have a call in to my GSUSA headquarters to ask if they make the same allowances. My daughter is already involved in GSUSA, so I am hoping that this is the case, as I feel that it's important to support it, and that it is important that she learn, as early as possible, that the quality of a person is between their ears and not their legs.

As for this young girl's boycott, I have a lot of opinions towards that. First and foremost, she contradicts herself in saying that GSUSA is being dishonest. In their bylaws, that she reads, it states that there will be no discrimination on gender. It's not GSUSA's fault that she (and/or her parents)did not either a) read it all the way through, or b) they were already so closed-minded that they didn't consider that anyone would allow trans girls into the girl scouts. Secondly, her use of the word "transgendered boys" is, obviously, incorrect. If she's (and/or her parents) going to take the time to create an argument, she (and/or her parents) should use the correct terminology. Third, the accusation that girls would be "unsafe" in a tent/cabin with a trans girl is ridiculous and transphobic. If a trans girl and a cis girl are attracted to one another, they have as much chance of fooling around as two cis girls (have they never heard of lesbians?) (or two trans girls fooling around, for that matter!).

Obviously this is hate-filled and transphobic, and honestly, probably not worth as much energy as I've spent on it today. However, as I think about the world that we are in now, and the world I want my daughters to live in, if I don't spend my energy fighting these kinds of injustices, then I'm simply letting others dictate my children's world for me.

***UPDATE*** I just heard from my state's GSUSA office that they are transgender-friendly and that the decision made in Colorado would be upheld here.

01/12/2012
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Something fubarred in my linkage, then come to find out the OP Video that everyone is responding to has been made private.

You can now find it here
01/12/2012
Contributor: Cherrylane Cherrylane
I actually JUST read about this in a news article and was appalled at the girl's video.

Honestly, mostly appalled at the stupidity of the sort of parents who would let their children post bigoted and hateful videos of themselves on the internet for all the world to see. I mean I get that the girl's parents probably agree, but truly? Either way, that's the sort of stuff that follows people around. She is going to be the girl scout boycotting trans hater for a long long time.

I completely agree with the decision. All the rules and guidelines we have in society are completely made up in our minds. Our social world is a constructed one, and more and more people are realizing that discriminating against people for socially constructed differences (race is a social construction too, for example) is wrong and generally looked down upon through the progression of human society. We make mistakes and we learn from them. This is learning. This is progress.

I will say though, I do go back and forth on the extent to which I think there's value in separating things by gender in the first place. Even things like college orientation. My college separated us by gender for campus safety lectures. I get that some things are more gender specific than others, like girls are much more likely to get raped while in college than men, but I don't understand why it wouldn't be good for men to have to sit through the rape lecture too, you know? Part of me thinks that if there are girl scouts, and boy scouts, why can't they all get together and do stuff together? Perhaps it would help rid the notion that girl scouts can't/don't do all the "big tough manly" things boy scouts and eagle scouts and whatever the heck groups do. Ya know? Wouldn't that be beneficial and empowering too?
01/13/2012
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Quote:
Originally posted by Cherrylane
I actually JUST read about this in a news article and was appalled at the girl's video.

Honestly, mostly appalled at the stupidity of the sort of parents who would let their children post bigoted and hateful videos of themselves on the ... more
Right on with most everything! Completely agree.

Regarding your last paragraph: There is validity in separating things by gender, but it's the presumption that because a girl has a penis, it makes her male and, therefore, would need to be put in the penis-centric group of cis-gendered men/boys. Heteronormative, gender binary thinking states that because you have a penis, you're male (and because you have a vagina, you're female). That is the social construct that needs to be examined and, then, eliminated. Sex is between your legs, gender is what is between your ears and in your heart. Transgendered girls are girls. Other than a menstrual cycle, they feel things and experience them the way a cisgendered girl would. Same goes for transgendered boys. Other than their genitals, nothing about them is sex they were born. So saying that they would be better off learning about sexual or safety matters based on their sex, rather than gender, continues to force them into the gender they do not identify with.

Thank you for reading and thank you for responding.
01/13/2012
Contributor: geliebt geliebt
I absolutely support the decision! It's really sad to see something so positive and progressive happen, only for some misinformed, bigoted person to shout from the rooftops about how awful it is Any potential problems that arise from allowing trans girls into girlscouts (if any at all) should just be handled individually.
Despite the silly naysayer, this decision makes me really happy!
01/13/2012
Contributor: ap-the-aper ap-the-aper
Way to go, Girl Scouts! It doesn't surprise me, though. When I was in Girl Scouts, we required a driver involved in Girl Scouts to go anywhere so they inducted my father as a Girl Scout. I also can't help but compare this welcoming of all girls into the Girl Scouts with the Boy Scouts throwing boys out. This just proves what I'd always thought when I was in scouts: Girl Scouts are better
01/14/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
This is not an easy thing for people to wrap their brains around and that's really all I have to say on that. She has just as much right to voice her opinion and ultimately, let's call it what it really is---fear, about the changes that are coming down the pipe. I'm glad she put herself out there so that she can become educated on the matter and eventually become a tolerant adult.
01/14/2012
Contributor: Vanille Vanille
Yay for GSUSA. -hugs all around-

Trans* issues are very close to my heart considering my girlfriend identifies as GQ. When I heard about the video, I was very annoyed. Annoyed to the point where I didn't have to even watch the video to be annoyed by the fact this girl (and her parents, 'cos I'm sure they've seen or heard the video by now.) are transphobic.

Boycott GS cookies because a child feels she's not in the right body? Wrong. I'm buying MORE because GUSA is supporting trans* rights!

Also Buck's response was amazing. I want to hug him.
01/14/2012
Contributor: quinceykay quinceykay
This is amazing, and kind of surprising - I sort of expected that it would be years before a public organization like this would be so trans-inclusive. But I really support their decision.
01/14/2012
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Quote:
Originally posted by Vanille
Yay for GSUSA. -hugs all around-

Trans* issues are very close to my heart considering my girlfriend identifies as GQ. When I heard about the video, I was very annoyed. Annoyed to the point where I didn't have to even watch the video to be ... more
I won't link it, because I really am not in favor of spreading their propaganda, but her video is under the username of an organization/website that spreads fear and hatred of GSUSA. I went to their website and it's completely filled with information about GSUSA's partnership with Planned Parenthood, about the infiltration of liberals, etc. So, really, my disgust comes a lot from the fact that this site is using this 14-yo girl as the "face" of their organization. That's not right.
01/14/2012
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
This is not an easy thing for people to wrap their brains around and that's really all I have to say on that. She has just as much right to voice her opinion and ultimately, let's call it what it really is---fear, about the changes that are ... more
Hopefully she will formulate her own opinions and become a more tolerant adult.
01/14/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
Hopefully she will formulate her own opinions and become a more tolerant adult.
It takes being educated by those affected to formulate one's opinion. It's good she's getting the backlash and being forced to open her mind. Whether or not we agree in the end doesn't really matter, so long as she's exposed to opposing opinions.
01/14/2012
Contributor: eroticmutt eroticmutt
I respect their decision to include all girls in the GSUSA. When I was much younger I tried to join the Boy Scouts and they would not accept me because I was born a girl. I read all their guide books and would look over my cousin's projects and was very jealous that I was not allowed in.

Heck, I am gonna make sure I buy some cookies this year and send a letter to GSUSA to thank them for standing up against prejudice and setting a great and tolerant example for the people who need it most, the future of our country.
01/25/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by eroticmutt
I respect their decision to include all girls in the GSUSA. When I was much younger I tried to join the Boy Scouts and they would not accept me because I was born a girl. I read all their guide books and would look over my cousin's projects and ... more
It does kind of, no, majorly suck that the Boy Scouts are a total boys club. I was always jealous of their projects too. While I was stuck learning how to sew merit badges on my uniform for a merit badge they got to light shit on fire.
01/25/2012
Contributor: Jensen Jensen
I was so mad when I saw that girl's video.
I posted how angry I was and actually started a 150+ comment discussion on my facebook about it.
I am going to buy the hell out of some cookies this year.
02/06/2012
Contributor: vampyroteuthidae vampyroteuthidae
I don't usually buy Girl Scout cookies, but I'm buying some last year. They are completely on the right track by letting, y'know, all the girls who want into their organization into the organization. They're great.
02/06/2012
Contributor: Missmarc Missmarc
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
It came out this fall that the Girl Scouts of America in Colorado has decided to allow all girls, regardless of the sex they were born, to be Girl Scouts. As per usual, any time any steps are made in the progression of tolerance in LGBT issues, there ... more
Girl scouts, boy scouts, why cannot there just be Scouts? Why do people have to separate them in the first place?
02/12/2012
Contributor: MasonM MasonM
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
It came out this fall that the Girl Scouts of America in Colorado has decided to allow all girls, regardless of the sex they were born, to be Girl Scouts. As per usual, any time any steps are made in the progression of tolerance in LGBT issues, there ... more
I'll admit, I was in GSUSA as a child, back when I was forced to live as a female because I didn't think transition would ever be possible. My parents pulled me out because the Scout leader was a suspected lesbian.

However, even as an FtM Trans, I think this is an excellent decision and I plan to support the GSUSA in whatever way I can.
03/08/2012
Contributor: Stinkytofu10 Stinkytofu10
Quote:
Originally posted by Missmarc
Girl scouts, boy scouts, why cannot there just be Scouts? Why do people have to separate them in the first place?
+1 for Girl Scouts,

+1000 for Scouts that are not segregated by any gender divisions
03/08/2012
Contributor: Interesante Interesante
I was in GSUSA when I was a wee one

But my troop closed just after I had been promoted from bottom rank or something, it's kind of fuzzy to me.

I support their decision and I think it's great, really. If I can, I'll definitely be buying some cookies from them.

In a world where it seems a lot of companies are making headlines for being bigoted and exclusionary, it's good to hear about one that's doing something really great like this and being open to everyone!
03/08/2012
Contributor: LoganAshlee. LoganAshlee.
I wish I could've been a scout!
01/23/2013
Contributor: Genderfree Genderfree
Can I be a scout scout? We should make scout scouts!
02/07/2013
Contributor: Rab Rab
I was a Girl Scout for ten years as a child and I wholeheartedly support their inclusive measures. If only the Boy Scouts had been available to me as a kid, but they've got their own issues these days.
02/25/2013
Contributor: Boyqueen Boyqueen
I didn't know about this. I was a Girl scout for a few years in my youth.
03/02/2013
Contributor: spiced spiced
I'm totally in favor of this and I've gone out of my way to find Girl Scout cookies the past couple of years. If they were available all year long, I'd probably buy them all year long.

It's just about that time of year again, so if you'd like to find Girl Scout Cookies in your area, here's a link.

It's a real shame that the Boy Scouts have gone the other way on this. I hope someday, instead of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, that we just have Scouting. For everyone.
03/26/2013