News / International
Leaders of Girl Scouts quit their posts over transgender child
23 Dec 2011 at 06:14hrs | Views
Controversy has erupted in Colarado (USA) when Felisha Archuleta tried to enroll her son, Bobby Montoya, who identifies as a girl, in a Girl Scouts troop in Denver.
The troop leaders, all affiliated with a Christian school in Louisiana, resigned in protest of the Colorado chapter's decision to allow participation from any child who identifies as a girl. They disbanded the troops after the organization's Colorado chapter said it would allow a transgendered 7-year-old to join.
When a local troop leader refused, saying Bobby wasn't allowed to join because he had "boy parts," Archuleta appealed to the leadership of the Colorado chapter.
The organization reviewed the troop leader's decision and opted to enforce its policy of inclusion for transgendered children, The Christian Post reported.
"If a child identifies as a girl and the child's family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout," the chapter said in a statement.
Rachelle Trujillo, vice president of communication for Girl Scouts of Colorado, added that the troops "don't require any proof of gender," the Christian Post reported.
Archuleta never enrolled Bobby in the Colorado troop, but the troop leaders in Louisiana were furious over the chapter's ruling.
Susan Bryant-Snure, one of the leaders who resigned, called the decision "extremely confusing" and said it could create an "almost dangerous situation" for other children, according to The Christian Post.
"This goes against what we believe," she said.
The troop leaders, all affiliated with a Christian school in Louisiana, resigned in protest of the Colorado chapter's decision to allow participation from any child who identifies as a girl. They disbanded the troops after the organization's Colorado chapter said it would allow a transgendered 7-year-old to join.
When a local troop leader refused, saying Bobby wasn't allowed to join because he had "boy parts," Archuleta appealed to the leadership of the Colorado chapter.
The organization reviewed the troop leader's decision and opted to enforce its policy of inclusion for transgendered children, The Christian Post reported.
"If a child identifies as a girl and the child's family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout," the chapter said in a statement.
Rachelle Trujillo, vice president of communication for Girl Scouts of Colorado, added that the troops "don't require any proof of gender," the Christian Post reported.
Archuleta never enrolled Bobby in the Colorado troop, but the troop leaders in Louisiana were furious over the chapter's ruling.
Susan Bryant-Snure, one of the leaders who resigned, called the decision "extremely confusing" and said it could create an "almost dangerous situation" for other children, according to The Christian Post.
"This goes against what we believe," she said.
Source - nydaily
