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Why do they hate Girl Scouts?

Discussion in 'Tilted Philosophy, Politics, and Economics' started by genuinemommy, Jul 3, 2016.

  1. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Can someone help me wrap my mind around why conservatives are anti- girl scouts?

    I was a girl scout, and I have always wanted to be a troop leader and now that I have 2 girls, I am anxious to get my older girl involved in a troop. But my husband has been spewing anti girl scout comments and I'm completely thrown off by this.

    Anyone want to get me up to speed?

    Thanks.
     
  2. martian

    martian Server Monkey Staff Member

    Location:
    Mars
    I had no idea this was a thing, so I asked Google. Apparently there's some belief that the Girl Scouts have ties to Planned Parenthood (both organizations deny this) and that they promote abortion? This tweet seems to be the centre of some controversy:

    Girl Scouts on Twitter: "Is there anyone you'd add to this list? Incredible Ladies Who Should Be Women Of The Year For 2013 http://t.co/r6MAzSH0ZK via @HuffPostWomen"

    Because the link contains a video where a panel of women suggest that Wendy Davis might have been woman of the year (2013). Note they also discuss rather a lot about Malala Yousafzai, who is also the image. But, y'know, supporting Wendy Davis in not passing a law that tries to backdoor in restrictions to de facto ban abortion clinics seems like not a bad thing? I think I just don't understand conservatives. The replies to that tweet are pretty heated though, so I guess that gives some idea as to what folks are upset about.

    Also some people seem to be upset that they allow trans girls to participate and don't openly denounce homosexuality. Which, uh, again, I guess I just don't understand conservatives.
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2016
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  3. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    • Like Like x 1
  4. redravin

    redravin Cynical Optimist Donor

    Location:
    North
    Also Girl Scouts have been supportive of trans and lesbian scouts long before the boy scouts even would budge on the issue.
    They have their own meeting places and camps that aren't tied to churches so they never had to do the bending over backwards that the BS did to make people like the Mormons happy.
    There has been a push back against the GS even before that though because of woman's rights and the right wings feelings the GS were playing too much into the strong woman ideal.
    I'm a huge fan of the girl scouts, needless to say.
     
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  5. fflowley

    fflowley Don't just do something, stand there!

    Some things (and some people) I just find impossible to understand.
     
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  6. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    It sounds like a very small group is trying to make a very big noise over a major non-issue.

    If the Girl Scouts teach girls & young women to think for themselves, I'm all in favor.
     
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  7. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    There may also be deeper/ingrained reasons behind this that may seem more nefarious to some of us.

    Traditional American conservative values trend towards patriarchal values, which hold such opinions as "the man should be the head of the household." The Girl Scouts empowers young women by instilling values of character, confidence, entrepreneurship, and leadership, among others. Conservatives may believe this undermines traditional conservative values, which tend to place women in roles subordinate to men, quite often corralling them into the role of caregiver for their families.

    Even the most flexible of conservatives may still believe that women should be caregivers first, everything else second, so anything that emphasizes values normally attributed to men (character, confidence, entrepreneurship, leadership) over values normally attributed to women (caregiving) may be seen as more of a threat than a benefit.
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2016
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  8. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    It's got to be the cookies...they're like crack. (much less the street price per ounce)
    The War on Drugs, man ;)
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2016
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  9. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX

    Well said, sir.
     
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  10. Levite

    Levite Levitical Yet Funky

    Location:
    The Windy City
    There is something to this, yes. But Girl Scouts have been around a long time, and this conservative anti-GS thing is recent.

    This makes me think it's more about the GS openness to LBTQ scouts/troop leaders, and probably secondarily the ridiculous conspiracy theory about GS and PP.
     
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  11. martian

    martian Server Monkey Staff Member

    Location:
    Mars
    I think part of the problem with having a discussion like this here is that our little group is very liberal.

    I'd be interested to know what someone on the other side of this discussion has to say.
     
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  12. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    Ah, the "political correctness and feminism are ruining America" canard. I'm assuming they're connected.
     
  13. omega

    omega Very Tilted

    I of course will be encouraging my girls to attend girl scouts. And then on to varsity scouts. I am an eagle scout myself and went to both Maine and Philmont high adventure scout ranches.
     
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  14. martian

    martian Server Monkey Staff Member

    Location:
    Mars
    In Canada we have Girl Guides. Their cookies are just as tasty but I'm unaware of any controversy attached to them.

    I wonder what their stance on trans girls is?



    Turns out it's all inclusive and boring. Ho hum.

    I don't have any daughters (yet?) so I haven't really looked into the organization in any great detail. Picking up useful life skills and learning self-reliance seem like good things to me though.
     
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  15. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    I regularly notice the "preaching to the choir" discussion here. Liberals are the voice of sweet reason, and those other guys are all bigoted nitwits. TFPers painting anyone on the right with the meanest, broadest brush possible.

    I consider myself fiscally conservative and socially moderate. I support racial equality, gay marriage is OK, and so is gay divorce. I cringe at some of the overreaching "political correctness" like recently in New Jersey the police were called to a grade school because students were referring to a certain chocolate confection as "brownies" an obviously racist slur.

    And just for the record, this sometimes conservative on some issues person is all for the girl scouts.

    And I learned a lot of life skills and self reliance from my heterosexual father. I hope that's OK. And I'm sure that @Martian will pass on his knowledge and skills likewise.
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2016
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  16. redravin

    redravin Cynical Optimist Donor

    Location:
    North

    I saw the article on brownie call and originally it looked like a major pissing match between the school and the prosecutors dept. over calling in anything that even smelled like harassment (the prosecutor supposedly felt the school wasn't doing their job properly so the school just decided to call in everything).
    Well come to find out that wasn't even the case.
    Snopes calls it as false all the way across except as a way of calling attention to said increase in calls.
    Police Called Over 'Racist' Brownies? : snopes.com
     
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