I was a girl scout for as long as I can remember. After all these years, I'm sick and tired of hearing criticism about Girl Scouts. "All girl scouts do is sell cookies. Boy scouts actually learn real things, like outdoor skills." Come on.
Now an Archbishop in St. Louis, Robert J. Carlson, released a statement to his archdiocese saying that Catholics should distance themselves from Girl Scouts, and even consider not buying their cookies.
When my sister sent me this article, I couldn't even finish reading the entire piece because it made me so incredibly upset. As a Catholic, it nearly brought me to tears to think about a life where I hadn't been allowed to participate in Girl Scouts. The organization has had a tremendous impact on who I am today. I have learned skills in the outdoor, in leadership, and in communication. I have also had lessons on body image and self-esteem; the importance of teamwork, service, and community; and sales and money management. Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts on March 12, 1912, with the goal to provide a welcoming space for girls to learn and make friends.
104 years later Girl Scouts is still practicing what it preaches. I know so many women who had extremely positive experiences with Girl Scouts, whether they were leaders for a troop, volunteered at a camp, or were in Girl Scouts themselves. I went to a Girl Scout summer camp for over a decade and formed amazing relationships with great women who will always greet me with a hug when I see them. I even met one of my dearest friends and current roommate through Girl Scouts.
In Archbishop Carlson's letter, he says, "their position on and their inclusion of transgender and homosexual issues are proving problematic." First of all, LGBTQIA+ children do exist. This is a fact. It is no longer okay to pretend that being trans, gay, bisexual, etc., is a choice. Girl Scouts is being extremely accepting and inclusive of LGBTQIA+ girls and people who criticize this position are being problematic themselves.
Carlson also raised an issue with the organizations that Girl Scouts supports, saying that Girl Scouts has views that conflict with Catholic teaching in regards to reproductive rights and sexual education. However, I have never encountered a discussion about sexual education and/or reproductive rights in my time as a girl scout. Even if I had, would it really be a huge deal? Public schools discuss sex education and reproductive rights. Should Catholics not go to public school? One would hope that a family with strong Catholic values would discuss these issues from a Catholic perspective with their children.
Archbishop Carlson also says, "Our culture is becoming increasingly intolerant of a Catholic worldview regarding these issues. While Catholics are called to treat all people with compassion and mercy, we must at the same time be mindful of whom we allow to teach and form our youth and the messages they present." It's not that people are becoming more intolerant of Catholic views, it's that people are becoming more accepting of different kinds of people. To me, compassion and mercy means acceptance. To me, it doesn't mean that we should shelter our children so they never interact with anyone different from them or with differing world views.
Girl Scouts has had such an powerful impact on my life and I hope that girls will not be steered away from Girl Scouts because of these views.
