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04/27/2007
Girl Scout kooky: Religious writer chides group's 'amoral' tolerance
In a new column in which she basically lashes out a the Girls Scouts for being a female-centirc group that actually CARES ABOUT THE RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN, Baptist News columnist Penna Dexter says the following about the organization's views on homosexuality:
The national Girl Scouts organization has been criticized for including on its website a link to Planned Parenthood's graphic site for teens and for endorsing a book for young children called "It's Perfectly Normal" that provides amoral descriptions for young children regarding homosexuality and masturbation.
Perhaps the starkest contrast between the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts is the way homosexuality is addressed. In 1980, the Girl Scouts changed their guidelines on homosexuality. The organization adopted a "non-discrimination" policy, making clear it would thereafter welcome lesbians, either as scouts or as troop leaders. In fact, a 1997 book entitled, "On My Honor: Lesbians Reflect on their Scouting Experience," is filled with stories of homosexual encounters in the Girl Scouts and a statement by a former Girl Scout administrator that about one third of the Girl Scouts' paid professional staff are lesbians.
Well, first off, here's our very own link to "It's Perfectly Normal." Because unlike those who think the best way to deal with reality is to ignore it, we think kids and teens are best served with actual knowledge about their sometimes confusing bodies and feelings.
As for nondiscrimination: It truly takes an unsound mind to argue against such a concept. No matter your personal faith views on homosexuality, how could you not understand why an organization that's designed to serve all girls would want to make their inclusivity clear?! Sure, the Boy Scouts continue to militantly push their non-accepting ideas on generation after generation of young men. And in doing so, they are acting in a reprehensible fashion (even if they hide their antipathy behind the shroud of Christianity). Again, for anyone whose world view is culled fro reality, the idea of nondiscrimination is a complete "no-brainer," while the idea of bias is, well, truly mindless.
Ms. Dexter then tells of this "On My Honor" book, as if she's found out some deep dark secret about the Girl Scouts. Well, Ms. Dexter, in case you weren't aware: We gays and lesbians are everywhere! We could collectively write about our past experiences with almost anything, as we have childhoods and life experiences just like everyone else. But as for this particular organization: Lesbians are drawn to the Girl Scouts because it is a truly pro-woman women's organization. Girls are told they can be what they want to be, and are encouraged to set and follow goals. Lesbians are historically involved in women's causes, because they tend to understand and experience cultural sexism (and even misogyny) to an even greater degree.
If it is true that one third of the GSA's staff is comprised of lesbians (though we doubt it), then the organization is blessed to have them! After all, if it was comprised of a third of "Penna Dexters," the only badge they'd likely be granted would look something like this:
FIRST-PERSON: Not your mom's Girl Scouts [BP news]
Your thoughts
I remember seeing a Penn & Teller episode of Bullshit about the Boy Scouts and their membership discrimination, and they mentioned that the Boy Scouts of America is owned and/or run by the Latter-Day Saints, which is where they'd draw a lot of the basis of their discriminatory ways.
I don't think one religion's hijacking of a supposedly non-denominational youth organisation should be held as the moral example against another youth organisation that is, so far as I can find, still truthfully non-denominational and non-biased.
Posted by: Sayke | Apr 27, 2007 6:51:38 PM
I think it's important to be accurate. The Boy Scouts are not owned or run by the Latter-Day Saints. Though LDS does have a close working relationship with the organization, Boy Scouts are a private, christian organization.
That being said. I'm so glad somebody is talking about Girl Scouts. You are right, it's a female-positive environment where girls are accepted wholly, and I think that may be why there are a disproportionate number of lesbians in relation to the general population.
And you would be surprised I think to learn that in my experience, the one third statistic seems to be mostly true.
Posted by: larisa | Oct 2, 2007 5:53:09 PM
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