The Girl Scouts of America is welcoming transgender girls to join Girl Scout troops, and conservative Christians are freaking out.

A recent blog post from GirlScouts.org reiterates the organization’s position on accepting transgender girls:

If a girl is recognized by her family, school and community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe. Inclusion of transgender girls is handled at a council level on a case by case basis, with the welfare and best interests of all members as a top priority.

Multiple Christian websites seized on the declaration of inclusion as an opportunity to express bigotry and ignorance towards transgender people. Perhaps most offensive, Charisma News ran with the headline:

Girl Scouts Now Welcoming Transgender Boys

Apparently Charisma News is unaware that an individual who was assigned male at birth but whose gender identity is that of a girl is not a “transgender boy” but rather a “transgender girl.” Whether the headline was simply an embarrassing bit of ignorance, or just mean-spirited spite, it is emblematic of the uninformed cruelty and mean-spirited bigotry displayed by many conservative Christians and others towards transgender individuals.

A petition opposing the Girl Scouts of America’s inclusive policy towards transgender girls is currently being sponsored by the conservative Christian hate group, the American Family Association. The petition warns:

(G)irls in the organization will be forced to recognize and accept transgenderism as a normal lifestyle. Boys in skirts, boys in make-up and boys in tents will become a part of the program. This change will put young innocent girls at risk.

Currently the petition has over 36,000 signatures.

This is not the first time the Girl Scouts of America has been a target for the rage of conservative Christians.

Earlier this year conservative Christians staged a boycott against Girl Scout cookies, claiming that the beloved organization is in reality a nefarious group promoting abortion and lesbianism to little girls.

In reality, the Girl Scouts are a fantastic organization that rejects discrimination and accepts LGBT members because it’s the right thing to do.

The Girl Scouts are 2.8 million strong with 2 million girls and 800,000 adults who believe girls can change the world.

Helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents, the Girl Scout mission is one of building girls of courage, confidence, and character: girls who make the world a better place.

The Girl Scouts of America is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. With programs from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to do something amazing.

To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.girlscouts.org.

(H/T Danthropology)