Trans Girl Scouts Sell 71,000+ Cookies Through Viral Annual Fundraiser
The campaign, curated by journalist Erin Reed, has raised over $400,000.
Featured Image: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
While lawmakers debate trans kids’ existence, transgender and nonbinary Girl Scouts are busy selling cookies—more than 71,000 boxes, to be exact—through a viral fundraiser
The campaign was curated by independent trans journalist Erin Reed, creator of the widely read Erin in The Morning Substack newsletter. She is known for tracking anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and reporting on transgender rights issues for more than 129,000 subscribers. Each year, Reed publishes a list of transgender and nonbinary Girl Scouts and encourages readers to buy cookies directly from them to help “make a few of their days better.” This year’s list includes 189 scouts, who have collectively sold 71,254 boxes so far and raised an estimated $427,000, with weeks still left in the season.
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Girl Scouts across the U.S. sell cookies annually between January and April, generating more than $800 million each year to fund troop activities, travel, and community projects. Reed launched the trans-focused list in 2022 after learning that Girl Scouts’ inclusion policy allows transgender youth to participate, and funds raised through the campaign have helped trans scouts attend conventions, travel, and support community initiatives.
According to Reed, the list has reached more than two million people on Facebook alone, with additional traction on Instagram and Bluesky. While it’s impossible to know how many sales came directly from the list, families say the impact has been tangible.
The fundraiser comes amid escalating legislative pressure on transgender youth. The Human Rights Campaign estimates that nearly 40 percent of trans youth live in states with some form of ban on gender-affirming care, while the ACLU reports more than 2,000 anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed nationwide since 2023.
“Again and again, families and scouts themselves say the cookie drive has become a rare source of joy, a reminder that people across the country see them, value them, and care about their lives,” Reed wrote.
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The cookie season is still ongoing, and supporters can continue to purchase boxes or donate through Reed’s publicly available list, prioritizing scouts who have not yet met their fundraising goals.
