Dear fellow MoveOn member,
I am Ember–a National Delegate from Northern California. I am also a queer person who is extremely concerned about the Girl Scouts National Convention taking place in Florida, due to the recent rise in homophobic, transphobic, and racist legislation that's been signed into law by Ron DeSantis in Florida. Our children are not safe in this state.1,2
Many of these violent pieces of legislation directly target and harm children, particularly queer and trans youth. This means that Florida is an unsafe place for LGBTQ+ people, and bringing thousands of Girl Scouts for the National Convention puts us in danger and supports these actions by Florida legislators, showing that there aren't consequences for implementing racist and anti-LGBTQ+ policies. This is why Girl Scouts must move the 2023 National Convention and Phenom out of Florida.
Girl Scouts has been working to be a more inclusive organization, and this is very contrary to that ideal—bringing Girl Scouts of all identities to a place that doesn't embody that value and is an unsafe environment. When a state passes bigoted policies, it empowers people with those beliefs to act on their beliefs, which endangers Girl Scouts going to Florida. Bringing people—especially en masse— supports Florida's right-wing legislators and tells them that their policies and actions are acceptable and that there are not consequences. Girl Scouts' event going to Florida shows immediate disregard for queer and trans members' safety, needs, rights, and humanity.
Girl Scouts must take action (not just in words) to protect queer and trans attendees through, but not limited to, transportation from airports to the sites for safety, LGBTQ+ safe break rooms, and gender-inclusive bathrooms at hotels and other centers.
Girl Scouts can do better. Girl Scouts must do better. Girl Scouts prides itself on being a youth-oriented and youth-led inclusive organization, and listening to and acting for the needs of their membership on this issue are crucial to demonstrate this.
Thanks!
–Ember, Girl Scouts National Delegate
Sources:
1. "A report details how extremism and hate crimes are on the rise in Florida," WUSF Public Media, September 22, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/173253?t=6&akid=354651%2E40999114%2EM0lsAn
2. "Jacksonville Jewish, LGBTQ+, FBI leaders react to spike in hate crime reports," News 4 Jax, March 14, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/173254?t=8&akid=354651%2E40999114%2EM0lsAn
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