|
|
Click here to receive Girl Scout Alerts that will keep you updated on important developments. NEW!! Question: Are parents aware that many GSUSA staff and board members are involved in controversial advocacy efforts or hold leadership positions with organizations that promote inappropriate material to children? Click here to see a summary of the backgrounds of many of the top leaders at GSUSA. About this Website For decades the Girl Scout organization, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, has helped millions of young girls develop skills, build character, and become leaders. However, over the years, the organization has made a seismic shift. The questions and facts on this site expose changes within the Girl Scout organization which are increasingly connecting young girls to radical feminism, the promotion of sexual rights, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) issues, and the abortion rights movement.
While this website will expose disturbing direct connections between the Girl
Scouts and many issues that run counter to the values of many
Girl Scout families, it will also expose many indirect connections between the
Girl Scouts and these issues. The sheer
quantity of the indirect connections (over 100) when taken together, paint an
overall picture that is difficult to dismiss as just simple coincidence. As you patiently read through all the facts
and questions in each section exposing all of these direct and indirect
connections, the picture of what is happening to the Girl Scout organization will become clear. After a careful examination of all the information on this website, it should be evident that there are serious problems with the Girl Scout organization.
After exploring this website, please: Click here to add your name to a joint letter that will be sent to GSUSA leadership. WARNING: In order to document a number of inappropriate activities of the Girl Scouts of the USA, a few of the facts and questions contain links that connect to explicit information which may be offensive. Warnings are provided to clearly identify these links so you can avoid clicking on them if you choose.
Background Facts:
Question 1: Why, in official statements of policy, does Girl Scouts headquarters continue to mislead the public by repeatedly insisting they do not partner with or have a relationship with Planned Parenthood without clearly disclosing the relationships many of their councils have had or currently have with this controversial organization? Click here to watch a video of former Girl Scout CEO, Kathy Cloninger, admit on national TV that GSUSA partners with Planned Parenthood to bring sexual information to girls.
Question 2: Are Girl Scout families aware that a substantial number of Girl Scout councils have admitted on a survey that they partner with Planned Parenthood? Click here to see a video clip from The O'Reilly Factor regarding this survey. Click here to listen to a GSUSA spokesperson claim that GSUSA headquarters has never partnered with Planned Parenthood. She then states that although under GSUSA policy Girl Scout councils (which actually implement the programming with girls), are free to partner with Planned Parenthood, she is not aware of any that do. Question 3: If GSUSA itself has never partnered with Planned Parenthood, why did they allow their logo to be printed on Planned Parenthood's brochure advertising a controversial event "Nobody's Fool: Dating, Love, Sex, and HIV?" Click here to see this brochure with the Girl Scout logo on it. Question 4: Are parents of Girl Scouts aware that Planned Parenthood promotes teaching children by the time they are five that "it's normal to touch one's sex organs for pleasure" and among other things that their website promotes masturbation, teaches youth they can have "safer sex" using "sex toys," and that safe sex can include "cybersex" and "phone sex?" Click here to see Planned Parenthood's instructions for youth on sex toys and "safer sex." (WARNING: This material may be offensive to some readers.) Click here to see Planned Parenthood promote "cybersex" and "phone sex" to youth in order to lower the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. (WARNING: This material may be offensive to some readers.) Click here to see a video that exposes Planned Parenthood's "Take Care Down There" series depicting youth exposing themselves to each other and engaging in various controversial sex acts. (The "Take Care Down There" coverage begins at 1 minute 17 seconds. No genitals are shown. WARNING: This material may be offensive to some readers.) Click here to see a music video for teens from Planned Parenthood's "Take Care Down There" series, the lyrics of which are entirely slang terms for male and female genitals. (WARNING: This material may be offensive to some readers.) Question 5: Are parents aware that if their Girl Scout council partners with Planned Parenthood their daughters may be exposed to sexually graphic booklets like, "It's Perfectly Normal," which was distributed to 700 Girl Scouts in Texas? This booklet condones masturbation and contains explicit cartoons of couples having sex and a boy putting on a condom. Click here to see some of the drawings in "It's Perfectly Normal." (WARNING: These may be offensive to some readers.) Question 6: How can Girl Scouts of the USA justify allowing their Girl Scout councils to partner with Planned Parenthood when such partnerships can result in connecting Girl Scouts to explicit and dangerous sexual advice like that found on and linked to on the Real Life Real Talk website? Click here to see a Planned Parenthood publication stating that the NYPENN Pathways Girl Scout Council was also partnering with Planned Parenthood on this project in 2010. Click here to access a video on the Real Life Real Talk website showing how a teenage lesbian comes out of the closet by kissing her girlfriend in front of her heterosexual friends, and then click on "Lipstick." Click here to see where Girl Scouts browsing on the Real Life Real Talk website can link to Sex, Etc. A Website By Teens for Teens where among other things:
(WARNING: This material is very graphic; however, you can safely click here, then click on "LGBTQ" to see just the list of explicit topics covered without being exposed to the graphic materials.) Question 7: Why did the GSUSA website direct girls to learn about teen pregnancy by going to www.stayteen.org, which refers pregnant girls to Planned Parenthood? Click here to see where this stayteen.org webpage refers girls to Planned Parenthood. Question 9: Why did the Girl Scouts feature Marie Wilson, staunch abortion supporter and defender of Planned Parenthood as a keynote speaker at a national Girl Scout convention? Click here for Wilson's Huffington Post article defending funding for Planned Parenthood. Click here to see a letter signed by Wilson criticizing the pro-life position of a New York politician. Question 10: Why did a Girl Scout council select Pam Smallwood, a woman with a 30-year career with Planned Parenthood in Waco Texas, (10 years as CEO) to honor as a "Woman of Distinction" for girls to emulate? Question 12: Why did yet another Girl Scout council honor a state representative who voted in favor of Planned Parenthood's abortion issues 100 percent of the time and who has a long history of speaking out in support of LGBT rights? Click here to see page 25 of the Girl Scouts' Cadette Media workbook that refers girls to Media Matters. Question 14: Why did the Girl Scouts select as a 2011 convention speaker and thus a role model for girls, Annise Parker, the mayor of Houston, who presided over the opening of the largest Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in the Western Hemisphere, and whose lesbian partner is the treasurer for a Planned Parenthood PAC? The Girl Scouts and International Planned Background Facts:
(See the Girl Scouts and Pro-Abortion WAGGGS section of this website to learn disturbing information about the controversial issues WAGGGS promotes and the close financial relationship between WAGGGS and GSUSA.)
Click here to see where Joshua states on GSUSA's blog that he was part of the WAGGGS delegation. Click here to listen to Joshua state he was in the "Girls Only" workshop and then claim the explicit International Planned Parenthood "pamphlets" were not there. (This conversation between GSUSA headquarters and members of the Missouri Girl Scout Council was taped with permission.)
Question 15: If the Girl Scouts did not distribute the "Healthy, Happy and Hot" booklet at the UN why won't GSUSA denounce the booklet as requested by some of their concerned members and make it clear that "Healthy, Happy and Hot" is something GSUSA would never support? Question 16: Since at this UN conference, GSUSA was partnering with WAGGGS, and WAGGGS partners with at least two other organizations that distribute "Healthy, Happy and Hot," is it not possible that through these connections the "Healthy, Happy and Hot" booklet could have been brought to the Girl Scouts "Girls Only" Workshop? Question 17: Why do the Girl Scouts continue to work closely with and provide substantial support for WAGGGS if WAGGGS partners with IPPF and the World WYCA, and other organizations that promote the controversial sexual rights found in "Healthy, Happy, and Hot?" Question 18: Are Girl Scout families aware that GSUSA funds the participation of WAGGGS delegates in UN meetings and caucuses where they work alongside representatives of organizations like International Planned Parenthood Federation and the World YWCA? IPPF's publication "Exclaim!" lists some of the controversial sexual rights that WAGGGS and their UN partners promote at the United Nations. Question 19: Since International Planned Parenthood is widely known for publishing highly controversial materials such as "Healthy, Happy and Hot" and "Exclaim!" (publications that tell youth they have a right to experiment with various dangerous sex acts, which are explicitly described), why does GSUSA refuse to ask their councils to cut ties with anything associated with International Planned Parenthood, including Planned Parenthood Federation of America? Question 20: Knowing all the controversy surrounding International Planned Parenthood, why did Girl Scouts of the USA appoint Ellen S. Fox who also serves on the International Planned Parenthood Investment Committee as a member of the Girl Scout National Board of Directors? The Girl Scouts and Pro-Abortion WAGGGS The background facts below describe controversial events that occurred at the same UN conference where the graphic "Healthy, Happy and Hot" brochure was found in the Girl Scout meeting room. For additional information see the International Planned Parenthood section of this website.
Click here to see disturbing information about Joshua Ackley.
Click here to see the two versions of the page on the WAGGGS website: the first with a demand for abortion rights and the second after they scrubbed the reference to abortion.
Click here to see how "comprehensive sexuality education" is used to undermine many of the values parents are trying to teach their daughters.
Question 21: Why did GSUSA co-found, and why do they continue to maintain membership in, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), when WAGGGS aggressively promotes abortion and comprehensive sexuality education, trains girls to "talk about sex" and partners with pro-abortion organizations like International Planned Parenthood (IPPF) and the World YWCA? Click here to see where the explicit and controversial "Healthy, Happy and Hot" booklet is prominently displayed on the website of WAGGGS partner, the World YWCA. Question 22: When asked by their members if GSUSA has a financial relationship with pro-abortion WAGGGS, instead of clearly disclosing the millions they give to WAGGGS, why does GSUSA avoid full disclosure by saying that GSUSA is just one of 145 organizations paying dues to WAGGGS? Click here to see GSUSA's official Q and A with regard to their financial relationship with WAGGGS with added commentary showing the misleading nature of many of GSUSA's statements. This document can also be found at the end of this section. Question 23: Why doesn't GSUSA clearly explain that they are pro-abortion WAGGGS largest member contributing millions annually? Click here to see where GSUSA paid over $1,800,000 in dues to WAGGGS in just 2007 alone. Question 24: Since GSUSA admits that when a Girl Scouts pays their $12 membership dues, this triggers a payment to WAGGGS from GSUSA, doesn't this mean that by paying their annual dues a Girl Scout is supporting pro-abortion WAGGGS? Click here to see an analysis done by Girl Scouts Why Not? documenting millions of dollars in "membership quota" fees that GSUSA has paid to pro-abortion WAGGGS. Question 25: Why doesn't GSUSA clarify when asked about their financial relationship with pro-abortion WAGGGS that in addition to the millions of dollars in membership fees GSUSA pays to WAGGGS, GSUSA also funds WAGGGS through their Juliette Low Fund, raises money for WAGGGS through their annual World Thinking Day program, and supports WAGGGS World Centres where girls are trained to become "global advocates?" Click here to see supporting documentation. Question 26: Are Girl Scout families aware that 42 percent of the funds they donate to GSUSA's Juliette Low Fund are used for pro-abortion WAGGGS "capacity building?" Question 27: Why are the Girl Scouts now denying in official statements that all members of Girl Scouts are also members of WAGGGS? Click here to see where GSUSA's scouting magazine clearly states that "Girl Scouts of the USA, and every member of it, automatically belongs to the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)?" Click here to see page 40 from GSUSA's Your Voice Your World Journey book that states "As a Girl Scout, you're part of a global community—the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)." Question 28: Why did GSUSA recently alter the wording on their website where it had stated for years that "all Girl Scouts" wear the trefoil pin and that "The World Trefoil Pin shows that you are part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)?" Click here to see a screen shot of GSUSA's web page that stated until recently that all Girl Scouts are "part of" WAGGGS. Click here to see where GSUSA recently changed their web page to now say that "Girls wear the World Trefoil Pin" only to show "their connection to the worldwide sisterhood of Girl Scouting and Girl Guiding." Question 29: Why is GSUSA is now telling Girl Scout parents who are concerned about WAGGGS promotion of abortion, that individual Girl Scouts are not members of WAGGGS, if GSUSA is still a member of WAGGGS and pays dues to WAGGGS based on the number of GSUSA's dues-paying members? Question 30: Why won't GSUSA answer the emails sent to them by several Girl Scout parents asking them if WAGGGS receives money for the WAGGGS pins that Girl Scouts wear on their uniforms? (The WAGGGS pin comes in the Girl Scout uniform "basic starter kit" and since there are 3.2 million Girl Scouts, this could add up to a significant amount of money). Question 31: If all members of GSUSA are not considered members of WAGGGS, then why doesn't GSUSA tell WAGGGS to stop saying in their lobbying activities at the UN and elsewhere that WAGGGS represents 10 million girls, which number includes the 3.5 million Girl Scouts of the GSUSA? Question 32: Are Girl Scout families aware that the Global Action Award promoted on GSUSA's website, enables Girl Scouts to "join in WAGGGS' international movement of 10 million girls who together are sowing the seeds of social change?" The Girl Scouts and Abortion Background Facts:
Question 35: Why did the draft Girls Statement the Girl Scout leaders handed to girls to work on at the UN promote abortion by calling upon governments to "ensure that girls have access to information and services regarding reproductive and sexual health?" (Emphasis added.) Question 36: Are parents aware that GSUSA is a member of the National Collaboration for Youth (NCY) and that NCY's home page connects girls to the pro-abortion Spark Action website? Spark Action promotes pro-abortion activism like the "We Had Abortions" campaign, Medical Students for Choice, and Catholics for a Free Choice. Question 37: Are parents aware that a link on GSUSA's website sends girls to do research on the website of the pro-abortion Global Fund for Women (GFW), an organization that seeks to protect "women's right to reproductive choice" and works "to decriminalize and expand access to safe abortion?" Question 38: Are parents aware that another link on that same GSUSA web page sends girls to do research on the website of the pro-abortion organization Amnesty International and that Timothy Higdon, Chief of External Affairs for GSUSA at one time was one of the highest paid executives at Amnesty International? Click here to see an article announcing the official position of the Catholic Church which withdrew from Amnesty International because of its position on abortion. Ms. Germain, President Emerita of the pro-abortion International Women's Health Coalition, and co-author of "Expanding Access to Safe Abortion: Strategies for Action" is one of the world's most prominent abortion rights activists. Question 40: Why does the Girl Scouts' Journey handbook Mission: Sisterhood promote as a role model for Girl Scouts the feminist icon and abortion activist, Gloria Steinem, who co-founded Ms. Magazine, a publication that became famous after launching its "We Had Abortions" campaign? Question 41: Why did the Girl Scouts present the Juliette Gordon Low Award to abortion activist Kavita Ramdas, former CEO and President of the pro-abortion Global Fund for Women and feature her as their keynote speaker at a convention? Question 42: Why do Girl Scouts promote in their Journey book, Your Voice, Your World: The Power of Advocacy, as one of the "Voices for Good" Hillary Clinton for her controversial 1993 health care bill? Clinton's 1993 health care plan would have expanded government funding for abortion. Question 43: Do Girl Scout parents know that the GSUSA Journey book, Your Voice, Your World: The Power of Advocacy promotes feminist icon and abortion rights leader Betty Friedan, founder of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and NARAL Pro-Choice America, as a role model for Girls? Girl Scouts and Sexuality Many of the questions in other sections on this site already provide ample evidence that the Girl Scouts of the USA is connecting girls in multiple ways to explicit information on sexuality. This section provides a few additional examples as well as documentation on how GSUSA is violating its own policies on sexuality. Question 44: In light of GSUSA's agreement with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry "not to take a stand on or advocate for or against any issue regarding a girl's health and sexuality, especially outside the confines of Girl Scouts," why did then Girl Scout CEO, Kathy Cloninger, in a 2007 interview with the Harvard Business School, make the following statement? "I feel like we cannot be the nation's expert on girl issues without dealing with how issues of sexuality affect the girls of this nation. We believe parents are part of the discussion, but girl scouting needs to be part of education and discussion as well." Question 45: Are parents aware that the Girl Scout Research Institute determined that regarding dating and sex, "family confidantes are often unwilling or unable to discuss such issues," and that GSUSA encourages Girl Scout leaders to create an atmosphere for girls to discuss such things? Question 46: Are parents aware that Girl Scout leaders are also encouraged "to bring in professionals" from their communities so girls can "talk openly with someone from the local health center" to get "accurate" facts and information on "serious" issues? Click here to see where leaders are encouraged to bring in professionals to address sensitive issues. Click here to see a clip from The O'Reilly Factor illustrating the inappropriate and graphic materials that Girl Scouts have been exposed to when Girl Scout councils have brought in "professionals" from a Planned Parenthood "local health center" to discuss sexual issues with their girls. Question 47: Is it really the role of the Girl Scouts to facilitate discussions on controversial sexual issues away from girls' families? Question 48: How can the Girl Scouts possibly ensure that when troop leaders hold "discussions about human sexuality" that "In all instances, the topic is discussed from an informative rather than advocacy point of view?" Click here to see where GSUSA makes this claim. Question 49: Since Girl Scouts states they have no position on issues relating to sexuality why does GSUSA maintain membership in the National Collaboration for Youth an organization that among other things promotes comprehensive sexuality education, opposes abstinence-only education, and that seeks to ensure contraception for children "regardless of their age?" Question 50: Are parents aware that GSUSA's World Thinking Day activity pack for girls ages 6-18 explores the topics of "sexual and reproductive rights?" Question 51: Why did a badge requirement for the Girl Scouts' Our Rights, Our Responsibilities Patch send young girls to peruse tolerance.org where they could play an interactive game role playing having sex with or without a condom? (The link to this game was removed.) The Girl Scouts, Sexuality and the World Association of Girl Guides Background Facts:
Question 52: Since WAGGGS "promotes peer education" and encourages girls to talk about sex do Girl Scouts who attend trainings at WAGGGS World Centres learn to talk about sex from WAGGGS' peer educators? (GSUSA funds Girl Scout travel to WAGGGS trainings.) Question 53: Since both WAGGGS and International Planned Parenthood (IPPF) promote "peer to peer" sexuality education and since WAGGGS has a "close partnership" with IPPF and has worked with IPPF on sexuality education projects, are Girl Scouts exposed to IPPF's peer education programs or any similar programs at WAGGGS trainings? Click here to see an example of an IPPF's peer education program which trains girls and boys ages 11-19 to deliver injectables and other contraceptives to youth in their communities. Question 54: Why did an option for a badge requirement require Girl Scouts to study the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a UN treaty that among other things, denies parents the right to limit their child's access to explicit materials? The Convention on the Rights of the Child is so controversial that the U.S. Senate has refused to ratify it despite intense international pressure. Click here to read more about the controversial provisions in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Note: GSUSA recently removed this badge from its program after receiving a number of complaints. Question 55: Are parents aware that as part of the requirements for an AIDS badge that Girl Scouts can earn through WAGGGS, Girl Scouts are encouraged to promote condoms among other things? Some of the controversial activities Girl Scouts are encouraged to engage in to earn their AIDS badge include:
Question 56: How is it that the Girl Scout organization has strayed so far from their original Congressional Charter which calls for the promotion of "purity?" See also the Pro-Abortion WAGGGS section regarding the GSUSA-supported WAGGGS delegation to the UN that demanded governments provide "comprehensive sexuality education" for girls. Girl Scouts and the Media Question 57: Why did Girl Scouts of the USA hire as their media relations spokesperson, who signs press releases for their campaign to portray women and girls positively in the media, an individual who has been featured singing in a music video that portrays a woman being strangled, featured in another video supposedly masturbating in a pile of newspapers while the camera cuts back and forth between him and a provocatively dressed woman, and whose band sings songs like "Sick Days Are for Sex?" Click here to see documentation for this question. Question 59: If GSUSA's policy is "not to take a stand on or advocate for or against any issue regarding a girl's health and sexuality, especially outside the confines of Girl Scouts," then why is GSUSA promoting the Healthy Media for Youth Act (H.R. 2513/S 1354), which deals with both health and sexuality? Click here to see GSUSA's action alert on this issue and to read commentary pointing out the problems with the bill. Question 60: Why does the Healthy Media for Youth Act (H.R. 2513/S 1354), which GSUSA is aggressively lobbying for call for millions of dollars of federal funding for "youth empowerment" groups and allow these groups to use this funding to promote "social change?" Question 62: In light of MTV's explicit portrayal of women and girls as sex symbols and considering GSUSA's campaign to portray girls positively in the media, why did the Girl Scouts invite MTV's Senior Vice President, Karen Maloney, to serve on the Girl Scouts' Board of Directors? (See page 3 of this document.) Click here to see an episode on adultswim.com that shows a young college girl accepting employment at a strip bar to pay her tuition and her mom condoning her subsequent prostitution. The Parents Television Council gave Adult Swim an "F" for excessive sex, violence, profanity, and drug use. The Girl Scouts and Radical Feminism Background Facts:
Question 67: Are parents aware that one of the badge requirements on the Girl Scouts official website sends girls to do research on the website of the radical feminist Global Fund for Women (GFW), an organization that funds controversial groups like "A Lesbian Feminist Tornado," "Women Sex Workers of Argentina," and other radical groups?
Below is a list of just a few of the many radical feminist organizations that received grants from the Global Fund for Women in 2009-2010:
Question 68: Did radical feminist icon Betty Friedan use her position on the Girl Scouts' governing board to influence the Girl Scouts' decision in 1977 to endorse the controversial Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? Question 69: During the 12 years Ms. Friedan served on the GSUSA national board, did her radical feminist views influence the direction of the Girl Scouts in other ways? Question 70: Are parents aware that Girl Scouts is a political organization in the sense that GSUSA supports among other feminist-leaning legislative issues, Title IX, which mandates gender equity in school-funded sports, and backs affirmative action, i.e., quotas in recruiting, hiring and promotions? Click here to see an article summarizing the radical keynote speech that Ms. Sadik gave at the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts event upon receiving her award where she stated that with regard to the policies of the UN agency she led, the "traditional moral boundaries which some people would draw around sexual behavior ... need to be redrawn." Question 73: Why does the Girl Scout Journey book "GIRLtopia" refer young girls to a controversial radical feminist novel written by Sheri S. Tepper, who was the Director of Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood for 24 years? Question 74: Why does GSUSA belong to organizations that promote radical feminist ideologies? (NCY, WAGGGS, and NCRW) Question 76: Of the more than 50 women listed as role models for girls in the Girl Scout Journey books, why are there only three conservative women of faith? (Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman and Mother Teresa) Question 77: Why are most of the women role models the Girl Scouts list in their Journey books either radical feminists, lesbians, communists, or Marxists? (Click here to see a list of some of the women the Girl Scout Journey books honor.) Question 78: Why do the Girl Scouts consistently invite a disproportionate number of prominent radical feminists to address girls at their conventions?
Girl Scouts and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Position Statement We recognize the basic human rights of all people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. All citizens, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, have the right to housing, employment, and to be free from violence and harassment. While we condemn violence or harassment of anyone, we do not accept that individuals should be given special rights based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We believe it is inappropriate to promote LGBT issues to children. Background Facts:
Question 79: Are parents aware that "Regarding sexual orientation, Girl Scouts of the USA holds fast to a commitment to embrace diversity," and their nondiscrimination policy regarding sexual orientation must be "honored by every person working in the Girl Scout movement?" Question 80: Why did a Girl Scout-funded study published by the Girl Scout Research Institute devote an entire section to the examination of girls' attitudes toward relationships with homosexual and lesbian peers? Question 81: Are parents aware that a link on GSUSA's website sends girls to do research on the website of the Global Fund for Women (GFW), which can expose girls to GFW's aggressive promotion of highly controversial LGBT rights? Click here to see the kind of LGBT initiatives the Global Fund for Women supports, for example, projects "to change the cultural and political debate on sexual orientation and gender identity challenging both conservative elements of society and mainstream women's movements."Question 82: Do parents of Girl Scouts know that GSUSA's membership in the National Collaboration for Youth (NCY) connects girls to NCY's Spark Action project, which posts numerous articles in support of LGBT rights? Click here to see where NCY's home page says they are "among the forces behind SparkAction.org." Click here and here to see where this NCY project promotes same-sex marriage. (While serving as CEO of GSUSA Kathy Cloninger also served and continues to serve as Chair of NCY.) Question 83: Are Girl Scout parents aware that GSUSA is also a member of the National Council for Research on Women (NCRW) and that NCRW promotes same-sex marriage among other things? (Former GSUSA CEO, Kathy Cloninger, serves on the board of NCRW.) Question 85: Are parents aware that at the GSUSA 2011 Convention their girls learned about "Moving Beyond Diversity to Inclusion," an event that addressed diversity beyond the traditional "gender and ethnicity model" to prepare for a "new world order of globalization?" Girl Scouts' Connections with Prominent Question 87: Does Lynn Cothren, GSUSA's openly homosexual Director of Administration and prominent homosexual rights advocate, speaker, and former board member of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force influence Girl Scout positions on LGBT issues? Question 88: GSUSA Chief of External Affairs, Timothy Higdon, is a prominent LGBT activist, was one of the highest paid employees at Amnesty International and has been a leader in the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Do his activist views influence Girl Scout programming and hiring? Question 89: Did the Girl Scouts know when they hired their male spokesperson, Joshua Ackley (aka Joshua Starr) that he is a founder of the "Dead Betties" a now defunct, popular homopunk band that created music videos depicting masturbation, prostitution, and violence against women and who has an album featuring a song called "Sick Days are for Sex?" (Click here for more information about Joshua Ackley. WARNING: This material will be offensive to some readers.) Mr. Ackley represented GSUSA in the "Girls Only" UN workshop where the Girl Scouts denied the "Healthy, Happy, and Hot" brochure had been found. Question 90: Why did GSUSA appoint to their board Debra Nakatomi, a professional who provides training in advancing LGBT rights? Question 91: Does Debra Nakatomi's passion for promoting feminist and LGBT causes influence her work as GSUSA International Commissioner to WAGGGS or did it influence her choice when helping GSUSA to hire known LGBT activist Deborah Taft? Question 92: Did GSUSA hire LGBT activist and lesbian, Deborah Taft who chaired a fundraiser for an organization that seeks to advance transgender rights, same-sex marriage, and the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) because of her history of promoting LGBT rights? Question 93: Why did the Girl Scouts select as a 2011 convention speaker and thus a role model for girls, Annise Parker, a woman who is famous for becoming Houston's first openly lesbian mayor, and whose partner works for Planned Parenthood? Question 94: Are the Girl Scouts nominating Lisa Quiroz to join their board because of her financial support for the Empire State Pride Agenda, Inc., a New York LGBT organization that was one of the largest donors to Governor Cuomo who pushed the same-sex marriage bill through the New York legislature? (Lisa also works for Time Warner which supports same-sex marriage.) Question 95: Is GSUSA deliberately creating a corporate culture of people who are passionate about advancing LGBT rights? Question 96: Why do the GSUSA biographies of their chief officers and board members omit their history of activism in LGBT causes? Question 97: Does GSUSA have anyone in their leadership who is prominent in promoting marriage between a man and a woman? Question 98: Since GSUSA's policy doesn't permit "the advocacy or promotion of a personal lifestyle or sexual preference," why does their Journey book "Your Voice, Your World: The Power of Advocacy" promote as one of the "Voices for Good," Martina Navratilova who was honored not just for being the world's top female tennis player, but also for being "an activist for gay rights" and setting "a milestone for gay rights with her openness and her sexual orientation." Question 99: Is it just a coincidence that the Girl Scout Journey book "Your Voice, Your World: The Power of Advocacy" also list as "Voices for Good" a number of women who are either lesbians or who are advocates for lesbian rights? Click here to see the list. Question 100: When establishing GSUSA's new policy that instructs Girl Scout councils to allow boys who are presented by their families as girls to become Girl Scouts, did GSUSA consider the impact this may have on Girl Scouts who may be uncomfortable being required to pretend that a boy is a girl? Question 101: How will Girl Scout troops handle the concerns that girls and parents may have regarding Girl Scout sleep-overs and campouts that may now include boys who identify as girls but that still have their male body parts? Question 102: Is GSUSA unaware that many health professionals believe that affirming a child as the opposite gender (which their new policy requiring that boys be accepted as "Girl" Scouts will do) can prevent children from getting needed treatment for a recognized psychological disorder called "Gender Identity Disorder?" Question 103: Why would the Girl Scout's "Global Explorer" scholarship application ask a Girl mScout if they are male, female, or transgender? Click here to see the application. Girl Scouts and the Catholic Church The following facts were taken mostly from this document. Background Facts: The Catholic Church has had a longstanding relationship with the Girl Scouts of the USA beginning as early as 1914. In 1982 the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) was incorporated as a ministry organization, which included GSUSA as a collaborating member. The NFCYM assumed all responsibility for Catholic religious recognition programs serving Girl Scout and Camp Fire units. In 2005 and 2010 when controversies arose surrounding the Girl Scouts relationship with Planned Parenthood and the pro-abortion World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), NFCYM stated that it was their "practice as an organization to investigate such matters by going directly to and contacting GSUSA." When NFCYM questioned GSUSA regarding their relationship with WAGGGS and Planned Parenthood they were satisfied with GSUSA's response denying "any formal relationship with Planned Parenthood" and their statement that GSUSA respects the "primacy of parents in all matters concerning human sexuality." (GSUSA also said they did not distribute the controversial "Healthy, Happy, and Hot" brochure. See the International Planned Parenthood section of this website for more information.) NFCYM then reiterated their 2005 Plan of Cooperation with GSUSA wherein it states: "GSUSA policy is not to take a stand on or advocate for or against any issue regarding a girl's health and sexuality, especially outside the confines of Girl Scout programs... when a council or troop offers programs that address many of these issues, they are offered with the fully informed consent of the parents ..." The above statement is quite misleading because although GSUSA headquarters may not take a stand or advocate for or against issues relating to health and sexuality, they allow their councils and troops to do so and although their headquarters may not partner with Planned Parenthood a number of their Girl Scout councils and troops do. A growing number of Catholic families are concerned that because of NFCYM's entrenched relationship with the Girl Scouts, they either cannot or will not recognize the multiple ways in which the Girl Scout organization is increasingly undermining Catholic values regarding life and sexuality. Question 104: In response to a survey on a Catholic website, why did 57 percent of respondents indicate that they were concerned enough about Girl Scout issues that they would not allow their daughters to participate in Girl Scouts and they would boycott GSUSA cookie sales? Question 106: Why did a Catholic Bishop write a letter warning parents about the Girl Scouts association with "pro-choice, pro-contraception and reproductive freedom groups?" Question 107: Why did a group of concerned Catholic parents feel compelled to create the Girl Scouts Why Not website warning Catholic leaders and parents about the Girl Scouts' promotion of ideologies that run contrary to Catholic teachings? Question 109: Why did Mary Hasson, a Visiting Fellow in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., write a November 2011 article expressing her grave concern regarding the inaction of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) regarding the Girl Scouts pro-abortion, pro-homosexual agenda, which conflicts with the teachings of the Catholic Church? Question 110: Why did a Catholic retreat facility in Scottsdale, Arizona feel the need to cancel a Girl Scout event scheduled at their facility? Question 111: In 2003, then Girl Scout CEO Kathy Cloninger "launched a sweeping transformation of the entire Girl Scout Movement to increase its appeal and relevance to 21st-century girls." In GSUSA's quest to "transform" the Girl Scouts and make them "relevant," has it abandoned some of the very principles that made the Girl Scouts a great organization that parents can trust? Concerned Girl Scout Leaders and ParentsQuestion 112: Why did a group of former Girl Scouts and concerned individuals feel compelled to create this video warning others about the Girl Scouts?
|
