Girl Scouts respond to backlash over since-deleted tweet celebrating Amy Coney Barrett: 'We are neither red nor blue'

The Girl Scouts organization is clarifying its stance on women’s empowerment after facing controversy for a statement congratulating recently confirmed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett on Wednesday.

“Congratulations Amy Coney Barrett on becoming the 5th woman appointed to the Supreme Court since its inception in 1789,” the since-deleted tweet read alongside an image of Barrett and the four other justices who came before her: Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Instead of celebratory responses, however, the Girl Scouts’ message was met with replies from critics saying Barrett’s conservative views were at odds with the organization’s message of girl power.

Many pointed specifically to the threat that the justice represents toward women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights and the nation’s response to climate change; some even threatened to boycott the organization. Within hours, the organization’s initial tweet was deleted and replaced with an explanation.

The Girl Scouts clarified that it was “not our intent” for the tweet to be viewed as a “political and partisan statement,” explaining that it is a “nonpolitical, nonpartisan organization.” A Girl Scouts USA spokesperson elaborated in a statement to Yahoo Life.

“We have a legacy of highlighting women who have risen to the top of their fields including leaders of both political parties and our judicial branch. It was in this tradition that we congratulated Justice Barrett (as we have for Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, Ginsburg and O’Connor),” the spokesperson said. “This has been construed to be a political statement, but that was not our intention and we removed the post to minimize the negative conversation. For over 100 years we have and will continue to work for equality and to break down barriers for girls everywhere and support increasing the presence of women across all levels of government.”

People on Twitter continued to criticize the organization for both backtracking and posting in support of the controversial figure in the first place.

This isn’t the first time that the Girl Scouts have faced criticism for seemingly taking a political stance, as the organization’s plans to take part in the Inaugural Day festivities for President Donald Trump in 2017 were met with a petition urging it to abstain.

In 2015, the organization also faced backlash for its transgender-inclusion policy, which it quickly defended. “Girl Scouts has valued and supported all girls since our inception in 1912. There is not one type of girl. Every girl’s sense of self, path to it, and how she is supported is unique,” a GSUSA representative said at the time.

Related : Girl Scouts honor student who created a college sexual assault database

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

• 'Sexual preference': Why Amy Coney Barrett's use of the term ignited criticism in the Senate and across the internet

• Girl Scouts use money they earned selling cookies to make PPE for their elementary school

• The Girl Scouts are getting 'modern, fashionable' upgrade with new uniforms

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