Louisiana Girl Scouts Council refuses to admit transgender members

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The Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) has long had a policy of allowing transgender girls to participate in the organization.

Last month, the American Family Association (AFA) launched a new petition against the Girl Scouts’ transgender-inclusive policy, and GSUSA responded by recommitting to inclusion. Chief Girl Expert Andrea Bastiani Archibald explained, “If a girl is recognized by her family, school and community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe.”

However, because inclusion is still handled at the council level, one council doubled down on its policy of explicitly not allowing transgender girls to participate.

Despite calling itself an “inclusive organization,” Girl Scouts Louisiana East (GSLE), which serves New Orleans and Baton Rouge, has a policy that contradicts the national organization’s stance. “We affirm that our council’s programming is for girls only, and has not been designed to meet the specific needs of boys or transgendered [sic] youth,” GSLE insisted,

In the last month, they’ve also issued a memo reminding families that it does not serve transgender girls.

“We understand and respect that there may be Girl Scout members who believe differently than we do,” the May 20 memo read, “and appreciate that sensitive issues such as this can be determined at the local council level. The health and safety of our girls is our number one priority, and we strive to ensure a safe environment where all girls can learn to become their best selves.”

A number of transgender blogs have pointed out that this reference to the “health and safety of our girls” is “transphobic,” and parents in the area are equally skeptical of that reasoning.

As Baton Rouge parent of a Brownie Mary Ellen Slayter told NOLA.com, “I don’t feel like the presence of a transgender child poses any threat to my daughter. We are talking about children here. If they’re questioning their gender identity, I would want the Girl Scouts to be a safe place for them to explore that and be in the company of adults who could help them through that… These kids are far more likely to be harmed by other people than to cause harm.”