Keep your Planned Parenthood out of my Girl Scout Cookies

By Hannah Parker

Everyone knows that Girl Scout cookie season is the most anticipated season of the year, even beating out good ol’ Saint Nick, but are these mouth-watering cookies worth the Girl Scouts organization’s support for Planned Parenthood?

The answer, simply put, is yes.

In 2014, rumors swirled around that, originating from pro-life Girl Scouts moms, the Girl Scouts organization supports Planned Parenthood. The rumors blew up and anti-abortion groups began publicly announcing a boycott on Girl Scout cookies for that coming cookie season.

In response to the boycott, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts USA Anna Maria Chávez published a video denying these claims. Chávez was heavily bashed by Pro-life Girl Scouts moms saying that she was lying and covering up the true motives of the Girl Scouts organization.

On the Girl Scouts official website listed underneath FAQ and Social Issues it explicitly says that they have no relation with Planned Parenthood. They do not support or advocate for Planned Parenthood and certainly are not teaching the scouts to support Planned Parenthood.

It also states that they do not take a personal stance as an organization on abortion. They leave this conversation and debate for the family to decide upon, leaving it out of the motives of the Girl Scouts organization.

Trending yet again this year anti-abortion groups are advocating against buying Girl Scouts cookies in hopes of shaming their support of Planned Parenthood. Groups such as American Life League, who in 2014 called for a National boycott on Girl Scout Cookies, are posting propaganda pictures of their boycott, as well as a website created called ‘Cookie Cott.’

Rumors have circulated from ‘the inside’ about Girl Scouts connection to Planned Parenthood and Girl Scouts USA has placed their rebuttal. But the fact of the matter is, whether Chávez is telling the truth or not is not important.

Girl Scouts support Planned Parenthood, so? Girl Scouts do not support Planned Parenthood, so?

The point of the Girl Scouts organization is to teach young girls self-confidence and the importance of ‘girl power,’ so when it comes to support for Girl Scouts or not, it should not come down to Planned Parenthood, it should come down to the kids.

Girl Scouts helps adolescent girls feel like they belong and help them find confidence, everyone should continue to support Girl Scouts simply because it is helping young girls find themselves. What does slamming the door in the face of a 10 year old girl trying to sell cookies teach her? Never to get an abortion? To quit Girl Scouts, the place where she found her friends?

No, it teaches her to stop forming opinions for herself and ruins the Girl Scout experience for her. So if you are debating whether to buy Girl Scout cookies this coming season, buy the cookies with a side of I-do-not-care-what-they-support.