Taylor, a 14 year old California Girl (GSUSA) is calling for both Girl Scouts across the nation and the general American public to boycott the organization’s infamous cookies. The boycott came as a response to the admittance of a transgender child into the Colorado division of the GSUSA, enraging Taylor and various other members of the Girl Scout community. Although their anger is understandable, they feel as if their beloved organization has betrayed and lied to them, it is also based on a matter of opinion that is not shared amongst others in the GSUSA.

Taylor explains that the GSUSA has taught her to discover, connect and take action when she sees something that she wants to change in the world; ironically it is the same organization that taught her this that she wants to change. Supposedly, the GSUSA is not being “honest or fair,” a key part of the groups law, with its members by not informing them that there have been several other instances of transgender children who have joined the group. However, Colorado Girl Scouts Vice President for Communication Rachel Truhijio said that the GSUSA Colorado “accepts all girls through kindergarden through the 12th grade as members. If a child identifies themselves as a girl and the child’s family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a girl scout.” The VP continued to say that these decisions can be made on a case to case basis; “if a child is living as a girl, that is good enough for us, we do not require any proof of gender.” She explains that the money raised from cookie sales funds research that states that all girl organizations are a vital part of a maturing girls life. What is enraging people such as Taylor is the fact that the GSUSA is allowing children who identify as girls to join the organization even if it goes against a minority of its members beliefs.

What Taylor fails to acknowledge is that transgender males identify themselves as girls and therefor need an all girl organization to help assimilate themselves into the community to which they hope to belong to. As a former Girl Scout I was taught not to discriminate against someone based on their color, race, age or gender. These are values I know are still upheld in many GSUSA troops due to the fact that my 14 year old sister, who is the same age as Taylor, is a member of the New Jersey division and my mother is the troop leader. The fact that people such as Taylor are calling for a boycott as enraged many “scout moms” and other scouts. The Girl Scout Law states:“I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for  what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.”Taylor claims that the GSUSA is breaking the Girl Scout Law by not being “honest and fair” and not letting other members know that there are transgender children enrolled as scouts. However, Taylor herself is neither being friendly or helpful to her fellow scout by trying to get her kicked out and starting a boycott based on the child’s behalf. This boycott is not being considerate or respecting others, respecting the authority of her favored organization, or being a sister to every Girl Scout. By encouraging others to boycott GSUSA and transgender Girl Scouts, Taylor is breaking the Girl Scout Law.