Girl Scout Cookies and Tequila

Today I bought a couple boxes of Girl Scout cookies from a girl of about ten and her dad who were stationed outside of my bank. I hadn't bought any Girl Scout cookies in the longest time, and I was never a Scout myself,  but lately I've felt a real strong need to support them, because they seem to be the target of some pretty weird attention from the right wing, if this story is any indication:

"This past week I was asked to sign a House Resolution recognizing the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts of America," Morris writes in the letter. "After talking to some well-informed constituents, I did a small amount of web-based research, and what I found is disturbing." 

Morris goes on to explain how the Girl Scouts is "quickly becoming a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood" and makes girls "more receptive to the pro-abortion agenda." Morris also accuses the Girl Scouts of promoting "homosexual lifestyles" and preventing girls from praying or singing Christmas Carols.

Furthermore, according to Morris, 47 of the 50 role models listed in the Girl Scouts education seminar are "feminists, lesbians, or Communists." 

Unfortunately Morris apparently doesn't know what most Girl Scout-aged children do: that not everything you read on the internet is true.

Of course, State Rep. Morris is way off base.  But it seems to me that his purported "small amount of web-based research" brought back nasty associations because some people are just that eager to bring down anything associated, however loosely, with feminism. The Girl Scouts, for example, have been open to accepting transgirls.  (That someone would boycott Girl Scout cookies because they are--heavens help us!--tolerant, just makes me wish I had the money to buy all the cookies.) It's no suprise to me that Girl Scouts have been hung up with an association with Planned Parenthood, since that is the feminist Demon of the Day for some far-righties. After the Komen debacle, I'm pretty sure that many orgs will have to disavow association with PP, even if they don't have one. Which is really sad, since Planned Parenthood is an organization committed to health and choice in making healthy families. And I just don't see why they should be demonized in the first place--let alone any other organization for working with them--is human sexuality and health so scary?

So I got my peanut butter-chocolate coated things, and gave my parents a box, since I try not to eat so much sugar or grains, although I did eat a few cookies and was pleased to note they are tasty as ever. But I also bought a bottle of tequila today because reading about and writing about the bigotry against women that even smears an organization that teaches self-reliance to little girls makes me terribly sad inside.  Can't girls have nice things, without that kind of judgment being cast on them? And what kind of judgment will all our girls face further down the road, as young women, so long as such nonsense has credence?

I'm for nice things for girls--like the ability to chose who they are going to be, whether to pursue higher education, jobs, make a family.  That is, as a feminist, what I stand for: every girl's right to make a life for herself.  I am sworn against anyone who thinks girls shouldn't have that right.  Anyone who wants to misinform about, or talk against,  the rights of all girls, has this grown woman in their face. I stand for their rights to self-determination, health, and security. And I stand for accepting nothing less.