The Truth:
The eRumor is based on a March
11, 2010 article the in C-Fam website called "Girl Scouts Distribute
Planned Parenthood Sex Guide at UN Meeting." It was written by Terrence
McKeegan, J.D. C-Fam is the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute
based out of New York and Washington D.C. and the story was based on the
written account in the
Daily Caller by Sharon Slater of Family Watch International who said
she discovered the controversial brochure on a table in the back of the
room after the girl's workshop.
The brochure in
question is called "Healthy, Happy and Hot - a Young Person's' Guide to
Their Rights, Sexuality and Living with HIV" and is a sort of primer for
young single or married people who living with AIDS or HIV.
A spokesperson for The
Girls Scouts of the USA told TruthOrFiction.Com, however, that the
allegations that the brochure was a part of the Girl Scouts meeting are
false.
The spokesperson
confirmed that there was an event in 2010 at the United Nations where
members of the Girl Scouts organization were in attendance for a
workshop hosted by Girl Scouts of the USA, UNICEF's Working Group on
Girls, Girls Learn International and The Grail but no one was handed any
brochures on sexuality or by Planned Parenthood.
The Girl Scouts of the
USA sent us this statement:
Last year, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) was honored to attend and
participate in the 54th Commission on the Status of Women at the United
Nations, where girls were encouraged to take action on global issues
concerning women and girls. Our participation in that conference was
recently the subject of numerous internet stories and blogs that are
factually inaccurate and troubling. Here are the facts of that meeting:
* The Girls Only
Workshop was jointly hosted by Girl Scouts of the USA, UNICEF's Working
Group on Girls, Girls Learn International and The Grail. The meeting was
only open to the girls and participating sponsors.
* Only seven adults
were in the room at the time of the meeting, each representing one of
the sponsors of the event. No one from Catholic Family & Human Rights
Institute was in the room to report on the event.
* 30 - 35 girls
from across the world participated in this event. All teenagers.
* The girls
received a copy of the only document they were working on titled ("The
Girls' Statement"). No other documents were given to the girls as part
of this event.
* The room in
question was also used to host other events over the course of the
multi-day conference. Prior to our girls entering the room, we did not
"sanitize' the room to ensure that no trash or other items were left
behind. We did request that those not associated with the sponsors leave
the room prior to our session.
* The Girl Scouts
of the USA was not contacted by Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute
(C-FAM) regarding its initial story to discuss the facts of this event.
Had they applied these basic journalistic standards, perhaps the true
details of this event would have been reported.
Our Mission in Girl
Scouting is to build girls of courage, confidence and character - who
make the world a better place. We continue to be proud of our girls and
look forward to showing the world what our girls can do. We thank
everyone for their support of Girl Scouting.
The spokesperson also
added that "Girl Scouts does not take a position on abortion or birth
control. The national umbrella organization, Girl Scouts of the USA does
not have a relationship with Planned Parenthood on a national level and
does not plan to have one."
updated 02/10/10
