Transgender girl accepted into Girl scouts

DapperButch · 10-26-2011, 04:54 PM

HuffPost:

Bobby Montoya often dresses like a girl, plays with girl's toys, and most recently, wants to become a Girl Scout.

But when her mother, Felisha Archuleta, brought her to a local troop leader, the child's dreams were dashed. According to 9 News, the Girl Scouts worker said the child could not join, regardless of how the 7-year-old feels, because Bobby had "boy parts."

"I said, 'Well, what's the big deal?' She said 'It doesn't matter how he looks, he has boy parts, he can't be in Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts don't allow that [and] I don't want to be in trouble by parents or my supervisor,'" Archuleta told 9 News.

Bobby was heartbroken.

According to Fox News, the Girl Scouts Of Colorado have since admitted a mistake was made. Apparently the worker who turned Montoya away was unfamiliar with the group's policies, and Bobby is now welcome to join the group. It's unclear as to whether or not she has decided to join in light of the reversal.

Requests for transgender children to join the Girl Scouts have grown according to Fox News, and the group has been working to support them and their families.

However, Bobby's struggles go beyond the Girl Scouts experience. In an interview with 9 News (which you can see below) Montoya says how difficult it can be, especially in school. Often Montoya feels bullied or gets teased because of the way she dresses and acts. Bobby doesn't want these actions to cause change, but admits being made fun of can hurt, and even her mother feels the pain.

Bullying due to sexual orientation or gender identity has long been an issue, most recently in the wake of the suicide of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer last month. While Rodemeyer's case is certainly different from Montoya's both situations have shed light on the struggles of LGBT youth. You can find out more information about the effects of bullying because of sexual orientation and gender identity here, from here, from Mental Health America, or from The Trevor Project.

Video in link below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1..._lnk2%7C107768

Gemme · 10-26-2011, 05:10 PM

Oh! She's a sweetheart. I hope she does join and that she enjoys the experience and others will learn from her.

DapperButch · 10-26-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemme

Oh! She's a sweetheart. I hope she does join and that she enjoys the experience and others will learn from her.

I like that the girl scouts were quick to come back and rectify the mistake.

EnderD_503 · 10-26-2011, 07:56 PM

Was very happy to see this. When it comes to stories like these it would be interesting to follow up in a few months to see how she's doing if she does decide to join. I'd be interested to see how the parents of other children react. The reactions in the comment area weren't very encouraging. Many very alarmist reactions talking about how she was going to go about impregnating the girls in the girl scout group... People are fucking crazy.

Anyways, I wish her all the best, and I'm happy to see society slowly adapting. Hopefully it will be forced to adapt further as trans and intersexed children are allowed to become more visible instead of being forced to remain closeted into adolescence or adulthood.

Nadeest · 10-26-2011, 08:57 PM

I hope the same thing, Ender. I'm glad that the Girl Scouts are accepting her. I just hope that all the members of the troup do so, and I think it likely, especially if the parents don't get their knickers in an uproar.

J. Mason · 10-29-2011, 01:57 AM

I am glad she was allowed in. I am hoping the parents don't get in an uproar of this.

AtLast · 10-29-2011, 07:32 AM

I just saw a clip about this a few days ago. I was hoping she would get into the troop. She's a cute kid and really wants to be a girl scout- just like millions of little girls have wanted to.

Yes, the other parents will be the problem if things go wrong here. Not just them among themselves, but some will probably put their poisen into their own kids and those kids will react in the troop.

These things (not just for transgendered kids, but all kids that are "different") usually become cruel and get out of hand via adults, not kids. I hope there are plans to educate about transgenderism among the families and also other parents that support her being in the troop that stand up.

I have to hand it to her Mom- from the little bit covered in the TV story I saw, she knows she is taking on something that could become a mess if not handled right and could be really hard on this little girl. As a parent, this would be so hard- fearing that your kid might be ostricized and at the center of hateful behavior. It is one thing to stand up for your child's rights, but quite another when doing so might put your kid in harms way. There are all of the suicides of trans kids to think about as they have been ridiculed and bullied while growing up. Parents usually want to protect and it is hard enough protecting kids from all of the usual cruelty out there, let alone when they are transgendered and just trying to navigate as a kid in a world that is really not very educated and understanding about gender issues.

It sounded like her Mom has support and she is obviously going to defend her child. But, I know I would be scared for my child. But there are other little girls she is friends with in the troop and from school whose parents are being supportive.

Chancie · 10-29-2011, 07:35 AM

This is great news!

EnderD_503 · 10-29-2011, 08:29 AM

Last I heard the girl decided not to join the troop. Her mother said that after everything that happened she no longer felt comfortable joining. Girl Scouts invited them to join another troop, but they've still declined so far.

It's too bad that she feels that way, at the same time she's 7 years old. She knows she's "different" because obviously people have already made her feel different. Knowing people would think of her as "different," she still had the courage to try to sign up for Girl Scouts with what were probably her initially fears coming true (rejection) then her story strewn across major media sources. I can understand why a 7 year old would feel intimidated after all that. I just feel really badly that she had to go through all that.

And of course now Fox's Dr. Ablow have to get their grubby hands on this story, too, and talk about how Girl Scouts shouldn't be accepting trans girls, because there's "no data" telling us the supposed "negative effects" this will have on their development. Seriously, a kid hears that crap at her age? It Gets Better, my ass. It doesn't "get better" when you've got quacks like this being accepted as "experts" within the mainstream media telling little kids that they're mentally ill for being who they are and that they're a danger to other kids.

10-26-2011, 04:54 PM	#1
DapperButch Roadster Guy How Do You Identify?: FTM, Stone Butch Preferred Pronoun?: He Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northeast Posts: 7,745 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 26,545 Thanked 26,894 Times in 5,771 Posts Rep Power: 21474858	Transgender girl accepted into Girl scouts HuffPost: Bobby Montoya often dresses like a girl, plays with girl's toys, and most recently, wants to become a Girl Scout. But when her mother, Felisha Archuleta, brought her to a local troop leader, the child's dreams were dashed. According to 9 News, the Girl Scouts worker said the child could not join, regardless of how the 7-year-old feels, because Bobby had "boy parts." "I said, 'Well, what's the big deal?' She said 'It doesn't matter how he looks, he has boy parts, he can't be in Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts don't allow that [and] I don't want to be in trouble by parents or my supervisor,'" Archuleta told 9 News. Bobby was heartbroken. According to Fox News, the Girl Scouts Of Colorado have since admitted a mistake was made. Apparently the worker who turned Montoya away was unfamiliar with the group's policies, and Bobby is now welcome to join the group. It's unclear as to whether or not she has decided to join in light of the reversal. Requests for transgender children to join the Girl Scouts have grown according to Fox News, and the group has been working to support them and their families. However, Bobby's struggles go beyond the Girl Scouts experience. In an interview with 9 News (which you can see below) Montoya says how difficult it can be, especially in school. Often Montoya feels bullied or gets teased because of the way she dresses and acts. Bobby doesn't want these actions to cause change, but admits being made fun of can hurt, and even her mother feels the pain. Bullying due to sexual orientation or gender identity has long been an issue, most recently in the wake of the suicide of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer last month. While Rodemeyer's case is certainly different from Montoya's both situations have shed light on the struggles of LGBT youth. You can find out more information about the effects of bullying because of sexual orientation and gender identity here, from here, from Mental Health America, or from The Trevor Project. Video in link below. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1..._lnk2%7C107768 __________________ -Dapper Are you educated or indoctrinated?

10-26-2011, 05:10 PM	#2
Gemme Practically Lives Here How Do You Identify?: Queer Stone Femme Girl of the Unicorn Variety Preferred Pronoun?: She, as in 'She's a GEM' Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: The roads are narrow here Posts: 36,595 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 182,245 Thanked 108,783 Times in 25,667 Posts Rep Power: 21474887	Oh! She's a sweetheart. I hope she does join and that she enjoys the experience and others will learn from her. __________________ Gemme's Journal I'm misunderestimated.

10-26-2011, 07:56 PM	#4
EnderD_503 Member How Do You Identify?: Queer, trans guy, butch Preferred Pronoun?: Male pronouns Relationship Status: Relationship Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 1,329 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 4,090 Thanked 3,903 Times in 1,030 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	Was very happy to see this. When it comes to stories like these it would be interesting to follow up in a few months to see how she's doing if she does decide to join. I'd be interested to see how the parents of other children react. The reactions in the comment area weren't very encouraging. Many very alarmist reactions talking about how she was going to go about impregnating the girls in the girl scout group... People are fucking crazy. Anyways, I wish her all the best, and I'm happy to see society slowly adapting. Hopefully it will be forced to adapt further as trans and intersexed children are allowed to become more visible instead of being forced to remain closeted into adolescence or adulthood.

10-26-2011, 08:57 PM	#5
Nadeest Member How Do You Identify?: as myself Preferred Pronoun?: She Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Leesburg, FL Posts: 595 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,876 Thanked 2,118 Times in 501 Posts Rep Power: 17077996	I hope the same thing, Ender. I'm glad that the Girl Scouts are accepting her. I just hope that all the members of the troup do so, and I think it likely, especially if the parents don't get their knickers in an uproar.

10-29-2011, 01:57 AM	#6
J. Mason Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Banned 11/9/2011 - Previously banned member back under new name Preferred Pronoun?: He and His Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Texas/Oklahoma Posts: 861 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 250 Thanked 741 Times in 361 Posts Rep Power: 0	I am glad she was allowed in. I am hoping the parents don't get in an uproar of this.

10-29-2011, 07:32 AM	#7
AtLast Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Woman Preferred Pronoun?: HER - SHE Relationship Status: Relating Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: CA & AZ I'm a Snowbird Posts: 5,408 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 11,826 Thanked 10,830 Times in 3,200 Posts Rep Power: 21474856	I just saw a clip about this a few days ago. I was hoping she would get into the troop. She's a cute kid and really wants to be a girl scout- just like millions of little girls have wanted to. Yes, the other parents will be the problem if things go wrong here. Not just them among themselves, but some will probably put their poisen into their own kids and those kids will react in the troop. These things (not just for transgendered kids, but all kids that are "different") usually become cruel and get out of hand via adults, not kids. I hope there are plans to educate about transgenderism among the families and also other parents that support her being in the troop that stand up. I have to hand it to her Mom- from the little bit covered in the TV story I saw, she knows she is taking on something that could become a mess if not handled right and could be really hard on this little girl. As a parent, this would be so hard- fearing that your kid might be ostricized and at the center of hateful behavior. It is one thing to stand up for your child's rights, but quite another when doing so might put your kid in harms way. There are all of the suicides of trans kids to think about as they have been ridiculed and bullied while growing up. Parents usually want to protect and it is hard enough protecting kids from all of the usual cruelty out there, let alone when they are transgendered and just trying to navigate as a kid in a world that is really not very educated and understanding about gender issues. It sounded like her Mom has support and she is obviously going to defend her child. But, I know I would be scared for my child. But there are other little girls she is friends with in the troop and from school whose parents are being supportive.

10-29-2011, 07:35 AM	#8
Chancie Senior Member How Do You Identify?: queer femme-inist Relationship Status: I'm lucky. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Western Mass Posts: 3,697 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,241 Thanked 14,360 Times in 2,670 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	This is great news!

10-29-2011, 08:29 AM	#9
EnderD_503 Member How Do You Identify?: Queer, trans guy, butch Preferred Pronoun?: Male pronouns Relationship Status: Relationship Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 1,329 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 4,090 Thanked 3,903 Times in 1,030 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	Last I heard the girl decided not to join the troop. Her mother said that after everything that happened she no longer felt comfortable joining. Girl Scouts invited them to join another troop, but they've still declined so far. It's too bad that she feels that way, at the same time she's 7 years old. She knows she's "different" because obviously people have already made her feel different. Knowing people would think of her as "different," she still had the courage to try to sign up for Girl Scouts with what were probably her initially fears coming true (rejection) then her story strewn across major media sources. I can understand why a 7 year old would feel intimidated after all that. I just feel really badly that she had to go through all that. And of course now Fox's Dr. Ablow have to get their grubby hands on this story, too, and talk about how Girl Scouts shouldn't be accepting trans girls, because there's "no data" telling us the supposed "negative effects" this will have on their development. Seriously, a kid hears that crap at her age? It Gets Better, my ass. It doesn't "get better" when you've got quacks like this being accepted as "experts" within the mainstream media telling little kids that they're mentally ill for being who they are and that they're a danger to other kids.