There have been several recent newspaper articles about the Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood. The first of those stories ran nationwide during the Girl Scout Cookie Sale and called for a boycott of Girl Scout cookies because of a relationship between Girl Scouts - Bluebonnet Council and Planned Parenthood in Waco, Texas. Ultimately, that dispute was resolved in that local community and the boycott was called off.

Was the cookie sale in our Council impacted by the call to boycott Girl Scout cookies? The honest answer is that we don’t know. The sale was basically flat compared to last year.
We have received numerous e-mails and other correspondence about this issue, primarily asking if our Council has a relationship with Planned Parenthood. The Council does not have a relationship with Planned Parenthood.

The reality is that girls’ lives are more complicated than ever. Girls have more access to information, their bodies are maturing faster, and quite honestly, they don’t have the emotional maturity to deal with the issues they face. As the preeminent organization devoted solely to girls, Girl Scouts is committed to helping girls deal with these critical issues.

GSSJC has programs like Girls Are Great, which helps girls decipher messages in the media related to body image and addresses the issues girls face related to eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. We also have a program called the Power of Choice, which helps girls make choices on the basis of self-respect - choices that will serve them their entire lives. In Girl Scouts, the issue of human sexuality is approached from an abstinence perspective. On this issue and in keeping with the Position Statement of GSUSA, from the Blue Book of Basic Documents 2000, addressing “Respect for Religious Opinions and Practices,” GSSJC recognizes that our organization is a cross-section of America’s diversity with regard to religious opinions and practices. We believe that sensitive matters are best decided by girls and their families.

One of our Girl Scout leaders recently shared a story with me. She is a probation officer, and she leads a new Girl Scout troop made up of girls who have one thing in common - they are all part of the Harris County Juvenile Probation system. These girls attended camp for the first time last summer. No one knew that this troop was any different from the other troops, but one of the girls from the Juvenile Probation system put it all in perspective. She spotted a group of younger girls sitting on the floor in a circle singing and sharing. She looked at her leader and said, “I guess I really did miss my childhood.”
When you think of all that Girl Scouting has to offer, it is the opportunity to just be a girl having fun in the process of growing up, which is sometimes of the greatest importance. In a world where girls grow up faster every day, Girl Scouting offers time out just to be a girl. We have many tools at our disposal…archery, swimming, horseback riding, backpacking, sailing, badge work, challenge courses, leadership training, and so much more. All these tools give girls a place to belong, become the best they can be, believe in themselves, and build the confidence to achieve anything.

Our Council is strong and vibrant, built by the dedication and commitment of hundreds of thousands of volunteers over the past 82 years. Please help us spread the real message about Girl Scouting and to remain focused on that which we do so very well…helping girls grow strong.