Girl Scouts of the USA has rolled out a new LGBT patch girls can earn, similar to the way they earn the organization’s long-celebrated merit badges.
It’s called “The Girl Scout LGBTQ+ Pride Month Celebration Fun Patch.” Scouts, including the group’s younger Brownies and Daisies, which represent kindergarteners and first graders, can earn the rainbow-striped embroidered patch with the exclamatory slogan “I’m A Girl Scout” by completing certain tasks.
They include reading a book by an LGBT author, watching a documentary about the Pride flag, participating in June “Pride” celebrations, or memorizing an LGBT poem.
In guidelines prepared by the organization on ways to earn the badge, scouts are urged to first familiarize themselves with homosexual and LGBT terminology and concept as defined by the group national gay activist group Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
“Before starting on the LGBT patch activities, familiarize yourself with words and concepts as found in GLSEN’s Key Concepts and Terms, commonly used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer identity,” the guidelines suggest.
A hyperlink provided in the guidelines brings scouts to a lengthy list of LGBT terms and their definitions. They include such concepts as lesbian, bisexual, trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, and pansexual.
The link also led Scouts to lengthy explanations about LGBT oppression, such as the provided definition for “heterosexism.”
“A system of oppression that benefits straight/heterosexual people at the expense of lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Heterosexism may take the form of Homophobia or Biphobia, bias and discrimination towards lesbian, gay and bisexual people,” the definition states.
Scouts are also encouraged to pick a book from GLSEN’s list of recommended books, including “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” a sexually graphic book about homosexual encounters of teens that has been condemned by several parent groups, including Moms For Liberty. It has been banned in 29 school districts in the United States.
Girl Scouts did not respond to inquiries from The Epoch Times about its new LGBT merit badge.
According to its website, the Girl Scouts created the badge as part of its celebration of Pride Month.
“The Girl Scout LGBTQ+ Pride Month Celebration Fun Patch is designed for Girl Scouts of all levels and their leaders to honor LGBTQ+ history, to celebrate the diverse cultures and identities of LGBTQ+ people, and to acknowledge the many contributions of the LGBTQ+ community has made and continues to make across our nation.”
Calls for boycotts similar to those experienced by Target and Bud Light in past months are already brewing on social media in response to the public exposure the LGBT patch has received.
Chris Elston, known as “Billboard Chris,” a nationally-known advocate against the exposure of children to drag queen shows, gender-affirming, and other woke ideology, told The Epoch Times that he thinks the Girl Scout badge is “by far worse” than what Target and Bud Light did.
“This is totally targeting kids,” said Elston. “And I can’t help to feel it’s probably being done behind the backs of parents. Parents need to boycott the Girl Scouts like the way Target and Bud Light were.”
Target suffered backlash over its Pride line of clothes and merchandise for kids, while Bud Light, owned by Anheuser-Busch, suffered significant fallout over the use of a biological male who identifies as a woman to promote its beer.
Elston has been in the national news for standing quietly at LGBT events while wearing a sandwich board featuring words of protest. Elston’s peaceful protests, Elston has been thrown to the ground, punched, and spit on.
News of the Girl Scouts badge has already set off social media protests promising to hit the organization at its core—with many vowing to never buy another box of Girl Scout Cookies again.
“Leave our kids alone,” posted Carolyn Hughes. “First the schools, now this ... We have to stop this madness.”
Some, however, who expressed support for the Girl Scout LGBT badge, vowed to buy more of the group’s cookies.
“This will make me purchase more boxes than I usually do,” Amanda Smulevitz posted on Facebook. “ I support ALL kids, and it’s too bad you so-called people of faith only support the ones who agree with your very narrow-minded, hateful views.”
Outrage over the badge has also come from one of the country’s largest legal conservative organizations.
Mat Saver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, brought up the Girl Scout’s past promotion of abortion rights and contraceptives in a statement slamming its LGBT patch.
“The Girl Scouts [...] took a tragic fall when it became a political advocacy group that pushes abortion, sexual promiscuity, and now the radical LGBT agenda on innocent girls,” he said.
Staver encouraged parents to get their girls involved in alternative organizations like American Heritage Girls, a Christian version of the Girl Scouts.
He said it was ironic that the organization has been reciting an oath since its 1912 inception that promises to “serve God and my country.”
