MISSOURI RIGHT TO LIFE POLICY ON THE GIRL SCOUTS

Policy

Because Girl Scouts USA promotes, both directly and indirectly through other organizations, policies and behaviors clearly contradictory to the goals and purposes of Missouri Right to Life, Missouri Right to Life urges citizens to consider carefully whether to participate in Girl Scouts or support them in any way.

Explanation

There are many significant pro life concerns about the Girl Scout organization. Girl Scouts USA (GSUSA) collaborates with numerous organizations that promote abortion for all women, including adolescent girls. GSUSA is the largest member organization¹ of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), making up a quarter² of its 10 million girl members worldwide³ and paying over 1 million dollars⁴ annually to WAGGGS based on the number of registered GSUSA members⁵. Through its resources⁶, participation in international seminars and conferences⁷, and non-formal education programs⁸, WAGGGS actively advocates for and funds campaigns to expand reproductive/ abortion rights. Both GSUSA and WAGGGS delegates regularly participate in various UN conferences, and, as representatives of WAGGGS, advocate specifically on behalf of their 10 million girl members⁹ for the inclusion of abortion rights on the global stage¹⁰. The International Planned Parenthood Federation claims a close partnership¹¹ with WAGGGS. In the United States, regional Girl Scout councils (though not required) are permitted to partner¹² with local Planned Parenthood affiliates. GSUSA is also a member organization¹³ of The Coalition for Adolescent Girls, whose international and national agenda specifically supports abortion related care for adolescent girls¹⁴ .

Girl Scout materials are concerning as well. GSUSA’s Journey series, which is the curriculum used by every Girl Scout council, recommends and promotes many well known abortion-rights advocates like Gloria Steinem¹⁵ , Betty Friedan¹⁶ , Geraldine Ferraro¹⁷ , and Dolores Huerta¹⁸ , and organizations such as Amnesty International¹⁹ , the Population Council²⁰ , and the ACLU²¹ .

Girl Scouts USA’s official blog, which is accessible to all members and which young girls very likely access, is also problematic, as it frequently includes live links to publications that consistently promote sexual and reproductive/abortion rights and explicit sexual content such as The Huffington Post²², Marie Claire magazine²³, iVillage²⁴, and Jezebel²⁵.

Even the sale of Girl Scout cookies is a concern, as GSUSA makes millions of dollars every year from the licensing fees derived from the production of the cookies²⁶ to further fund their efforts outlined above.

Until the Girl Scouts renounces its support for and promotion of all those organizations referenced above and their pro-abortion advocacy positions, Missouri Right to Life urges citizens to carefully consider whether to participate in or support the Girl Scouts.

• Cited references (PDF file)

Concerns with Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri (PDF)