Fox News - 11 May

 

GSUSA announces they will accept as members "boys who consider themselves to be girls".  

Is there something from an Official GSUSA source? 

I thought this was decided about a year back.. There was some story about a boy identifying as a girl and wanting to join a girl scout group.. I know there was some discussion for and against, but I had thought the end result was the child was accepted.. Perhaps I was wrong and it hadn't been decided and it took this long to make a decision.

 

Edited:

Wow times flys, this was the story I remember, October 2011.. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/transgender-boy-attempt-join-girl-scouts-initially-rejected-boy-parts-article-1.968179

Edited May 11, 201511 yr by moosetracker

I support Sentinel's request for a source.  Without a source this is strictly hear-say/speculation.  

Also if this discussion takes a turn, it will be moved to I&P or locked. Play nicely ladies and gentlemen. 

Here are some more news articles :

 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/13/living/girl-scout-boycott/index.html

http://www.glaad.org/blog/girl-scouts-colorado-released-statement-welcoming-transgender-youth

 

It does seem to be only mentioning the Colorado branch as making this decision.. Maybe more recently Nationally it has been decided.. I did not see any articles that are more recent though, or a more national decision..

Fox News - 11 May

 

GSUSA announces they will accept as members "boys who consider themselves to be girls".  

 

Does this mean Bruce Jenner can be a leader in GSUSA?

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4229440881001/is-girl-now-optional-for-the-girl-scouts/?#sp=show-clips

Scoutldr, I don't believe that link is helpful in this case.  I saw no official statement from GSUSA and the guest didn't cite anything.  It was an opinion piece by an outside source.  

 

Could you find something from GSUSA that announces this membership change?

Edited May 11, 201511 yr by LeCastor
I mistyped the topic starter's name. Sorry!

Since I did not post anything regarding this, I guess it was not helpful.  But, frankly, I simply do not care one way or the other, as just as in Boy Scouts, it should be the choice of the group involved.  Moving on.

My apologies, Skeptic.

It was clear from that clip that neither the host nor the guest have any idea what the policy actually is, they just know they don't like it. It was mainly an excuse for the guest to bash the GSUSA for everything the organization has done (or is accused of doing) over the past 40 years that she doesn't like.

Here is what the GSUSA's web site currently says on the subject:

 

Q: What is Girl Scouts' position on serving transgender youth?

 

A: Girl Scouts is proud to be the premiere leadership organization for girls in the country. Placement of transgender youth is handled on a case-by-case basis, with the welfare and best interests of the child and the members of the troop/group in question a top priority. That said, if the child is recognized by the family and school/community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, then Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe.

 

Q: How does Girl Scouts' position on serving transgender youth apply to situations involving camping or volunteers?

 

A: These situations are rare and are considered individually with the best interests of all families in mind. Should any girl requiring special accommodations wish to camp, GSUSA recommends that the local council makes similar accommodation that schools across the country follow in regard to changing, sleeping arrangements, and other travel-related activities. With respect to volunteers, Girl Scouts welcomes both male and female adult volunteers and has developed appropriate safeguards regarding roles and responsibilities to ensure that girls receive the proper supervision and support.

See http://www.girlscouts.org/program/basics/faith/faqs.asp#a5

 

Unless the web site is out of date, the policy seems to be a little more complicated and nuanced than what Fox News is reporting. Basically they are saying that if the person considers themself to be a girl and everybody else treats them as being a girl, so will the GSUSA.

I consider myself the most interesting man in the world. I hope that under our non-discrimination laws everyone will start treating me like that.   

I believe that's what I said.