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DENVER — Bobby Montoya, a 7-year-old boy from Denver, Colo., who identifies as a girl, may be allowed to join the Girl Scouts after initially being told no by a local troop leader.
“Bobby identifies as a girl, and he’s a boy,” his mother, Felisha Archuleta, told KUSA-TV.
Archuleta still refers to Bobby as “he,” but said Bobby dresses and behaves like a girl.
“He’s been doing this since he was about 2 years old. He’s loved girl stuff, so we just let him dress how he wants, as long as he’s happy,” she said.
Archuleta said she went to sign Bobby up for Girl Scouts because his older sister had joined, and Bobby really wanted to join as well.
But Archuleta said a troop leader told her Bobby couldn’t join.
“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 9NEWS.
“It was like somebody told me I can’t like girl stuff, and I have to change my name to something else,” Bobby said.
But now, in a statement released to KUSA-TV, the Girl Scouts of Colorado said the troop leader’s decision is not in alignment with the organization’s policies:
“Girl Scouts is an inclusive organization and we accept all girls in Kindergarten through 12th grade as members. If a child identifies as a girl and the child’s family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout. Our requests for support of transgender kids have grown, and Girl Scouts of Colorado is working to best support these children, their families and the volunteers who serve them.”
The Girls Scouts said the troop leader was not “aware of our approach” and that the organization would immediately begin working with Bobby and his family to “get the child involved and supported in Girl Scouts.”
KUSA-TV reporter Anastasiya Bolton told LGBTQ Nation that Bobby had also “been bullied” at school, and that Bobby himself “used that word” to describe other incidents while attending school.
A video report and discussion from KUSA-TV is here.
Filed under: Colorado
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this is kinda creepy i dont c y it would violate his rights not to join girl scouts if he is in fact a boy……
You’re never too young to make a difference.
What awesome parents, being supportive like that.
Aww may he be happy
<3
May SHE be happy.
alex what do u mean
just let him
@Alex: Though he may be anatomically a boy, he may identify as a girl. That’s why the general public is in need of education about transgender, transsexual, and gender identity issues… and why laws will, eventually, be necessary to protect equality for all.
I hope that “she” becomes really happy in her life after this. I wish I realized who I was a lot sooner, like this boy. I’m happy for “her”.
i agree beth
Why the hell are they calling her a boy? If she says she’s a girl, she’s a girl.
I’m really happy for HER and I hope more GIRLS like HER will be let into GIRL spaces because SHE is a GIRL.
Eli i was just about to say that xD
Hooray for GSA!
woo-hoo, raise the roof!!
@Eli: Legally, he’ll be “he” until sexual reassignment surgery… if his life follows that path. But in everyday life, it may be appropriate for parents, siblings, family and friends to begin referring to him as “her.” There’s a delicate balance to be struck, and what seems simple on the surface requires intervention and diagnosis, often from mental health professionals, to ensure the child is expressing sincere desires – not being coached or forced – that are long-term desires, not short-term desires.
@xylia why the “” around she and her? are you implying she’s not a girl?
I hate how people are so ignorant of Trans gender people. It has nothing to do with body parts. Stop making it about body parts. It’s how a person feels on the inside that makes them who they are. If this child feels female it’s probably the early sighs they are indeed trans manifesting. Of course a 7 year old isn’t going to get surgery and hormones, are you out of your mind. It isn’t going to hurt any one to let this child be who they feel like. Let Bobby be in the Girl scouts. Way to go Mom for supporting your kid no matter what!!!
Jay, according to the article since she was 2 (too young to be “trained” or “coached”) Bobby has liked girly things. Pretty sure Bobby wants this.
Regarding the first post made by Alex: He means why is an organization allowed to deny entrance by gender. Like why would a cis boy be denied entrance to the Girl Scouts. Because it’s an organization dedicated to develop girls as they grow up. There is the Boy Scouts too. It’s perfectly legal otherwise there wouldn’t be all girl or all boy schools, and legal for the military to separate from gender.
That is so amazing :) I’m glad Girl Scouts of America is accomodating transgender chilren.
Wait, why does the LGBTQ Nation article title identify Bobby as a boy? Aren’t we supposed to be trans* inclusive? Because this is not.
I can’t figure out why this is still a problem when the girl scouts stated they are inclusive to trans people? I don’t know if this person identifies as a girl yet or not because people keep using the male pronouns but I think the person probably would want to be called she. I have a hunch and right now it is only a hunch that because they aren’t calling this child she they are making things more difficult.
@Jay, are you even being serious? That’s not even completely TRUE. It is legally possible to change one’s name, passport, and, in certain places, birth certificate and driver’s license without surgery, and in fact , in many cases, without any medical transition at all. Why would a child be coached into identifying in a way that will cause conflict? It’s absurd to say Bobby’s statement of being a girl would be insincere, ESPECIALLY when her mother is quoted in the article as saying she’s a boy. Referring to a trans person contrary to how they present themselves/identify is little more than misguided cruelty. It is not fair to tell a trans person they are being insincere, and it is not a kindness or a necessity to put a number of barriers in their way – it is incredibly difficult to assert oneself as a trans person, and demanding that someone’s public presentation/image be mediated by people they may not even financially have access to is only going to increase the already obscenely high rate of depression and suicide in trans people and make their situations much worse than they have to be.
@Jay: I am transgender. I have not had SRS but I am legally female (passport, driver’s license, SSN, etc). You should know what you’re talking about before you make a statement.
Two-spirited people suffer a lot in oppressive cultures,but at least he´s having a more accepting environment.Here in Brazil , despite what the world thinks,he would be bound to end up in prostitution and tranvestite shows,with rare exceptions,of course. I´m from Rio but in the town I´m living right now (and you can be sure just for my work,cause I wouldn´t ,if I could) all trans mtf end up in prostitution from a very early age and ftm seem to go living in disguise(don´t know what kind of jobs they get).It´s a nightmare.
Bitch better be accepted.
And the same criminal neglecting from straight authorities : ” Police said they can not prosecute the students involved because the teasing was not a criminal act.” HOW MANY MORE LIVES ,WE ASK ??
Oh, so they mean a girl is going to be allowed to join the Girl Scouts?
I’m happy that this story was covered, but I think it’s necessary to say that if the child identifies as a girl, please respect that and refrain from calling her a boy.
I don’t like how this is worded. “Boy who identifies as girl” does not honor HER right to define her own gender. You’d think an LGBTQ publication — one that NO DOUBT has a fit when newspaper articles use verbiage like “a man dressed as a woman” — would know better. This is why I don’t think all LGBTQ groups have the people they claim to serve in their best interest. For some, it’s a “trend”. Shame.
Editor’s Note: The headline and story reflects the verbiage used by the family. For that reason, we reported the story gender neutral, and referred to the child as Bobby. The references as “he” vs. “she” are quotes from the child’s mother. LGBTQ Nation does not apply labels “i.e., transgender” when they are specifically not used by the family or the subjects of the story, regardless of our own feelings or interpretations as members of the LGBTQ community.
No one gives a shit if she has a dick or not. She says she’s a girl? Then she’s a girl to us, since it’s not any of our damn business what’s between her legs.
good news stop the hated
I originally read this on the Huffington Post and was so saddened by the hateful comments. I pray someday I will have they find compassion in their hearts, if not for themselves, but the children they will raise.
Gender is in your mind, heart, and soul.
YAY!
Good!! These children need all the understanding possible to help them! Thank you Girl Scouts!
I first read about this on ABC 11′s news page, and like 95% of the comments were hateful.
this is what i like to see positivity in the trans community.
Rhiannon…they identify Bobby as a boy because he was born a boy, otherwise the article wouldn’t make much sense.
@AyJay Powell, et.al — Editor’s Note: The headline and story reflects the verbiage used by the family. For that reason, we reported the story gender neutral, and referred to the child as Bobby. The references as “he” vs. “she” are quotes from the child’s mother. LGBTQ Nation does not apply labels “i.e., transgender” when they are specifically not used by the family or the subjects of the story, regardless of our own feelings or interpretations as members of the LGBTQ community.
Kitty Lambert this is the story I was referring to
More power to you little one:)
Cute！
when i was a kid i wanted nothing more then to be in Boy Scouts, but since i was born a girl, i couldn’t. the only way i was ever able to be invalved in Boy Scouts was to have a son that was in Cub Scouts. i’m glad that Gril Scouts, (even though i never wanted to be one) is letting this child live her dreams!
YES YES YEES!!! THATS GREAT NEWS
WAY TO GO BOBBY!!
A step forward for the child and her family. Praise for the girl scouts
awesome news and love the parents :D go girl power ^_^
This is joyous! Girl Scouts I’m happy you opened your doors … Remember the others when they come knocking …
yay!!!
and this is one of the many reasons why i will be buying yummy cookies this year. thank you girl scounts for being worth supporting
I have recently learned that there are Actual chromosonal disorders that can affect sexuality on many levels from infancy or even show up later.. . THEIR NEEDS TO BE MORE EDUCATION ABOUT THIS IN GRADE SCHOOL ON SO THAT WE CAN START TO SEE PEOPLE WITH THESE DISORDERS AS PEOPLE …not just peole trapped in the wrong body….sometimes it may be psychological , but most times not! The more we understand , the more we will value them as whole people with a disorder and the more we will embrace and accept those with hese disorders…..
This makes me even more proud to be a former Girl Scout!
I’m so glad to see that the Girl Scouts is an organization that genuinely cares about the needs of all young women and has specific and explicit policies of inclusion in place. The next time I have the opportunity to buy some cookies in support of them, I’m doubling my order.
Being trans let alone a fully-aware trans kid ain’t easy folks. It’s really hard for me to overlook the fact that people kept referring to Bobby as a boy despite the fact that she’s made it very clear that she’s a girl. I think it’s nice that some people are at least making an effort to be gentle with her, but I find it very disrespectful that people, especially in the new reports keep saying, “Bobby is a boy who identifies as a girl”… Okay, to get the point across to an ignorant outside party maybe, but then they bring in a child psychologist and everyone in the report just beats around the bush when the real subject is brought up… That just makes me rage. I wanna give them a lot of smack, I tell ya.
I am just wondering at his age does he have the requisite cognizance to understand the significance of his decision, and how it can affect his future life.
To Danton Sealy: he probably doesn’t understand how it will effect his future but you also have to look at it this way also, being so young he doesn’t even understand why he feels this way this shows that this isn’t a choice but he was born this way, and even as he gets older and starts to understand more its not like he is going to be able to just change.
I first read this story on yahoo and was hurt to see that almost all of the comments were hatefull… people are so uneducated… all i got to say is WAY TO GO BOBBY!! DONT EVER BE SCARED TO FOLLOW YOUR HEART!! :)
She is an inspiration!
When will little boys who are anatomically girls be allowed into the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts?
Now -that- is a sign of change. :3
<3
Why was it necessary for HuffPost to reprint this story? The first time drew hundreds of emotion filled comments and opinions. Sad to sensationalize the story about this girl just to stir the shit.