BSA decides to admit girls into Boy Scouts starting 2018/2019: good or bad thing?

[Lord Kacperov]

This past Wednesday, the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) have announced plans to admit girls into the century old youth club in the future, the first time in its 107-year history. This means that the girls will also be able to enter the Cub Scouts program, and thus possibly win the Eagle Scout Rank. This is what BSA chief executive Michael Surbaugh had to say:

“We believe it is critical to evolve how our programmes meet the needs of families interested in positive and lifelong experiences for their children. Families today are busier and more diverse than ever. Most are dual earners and there are more single-parent households than ever before, making convenient programmes that serve the whole family more appealing.”

The Girl Scouts have criticised the BSA’s move. “Girl Scouts is the best girl leadership organisation in the world, created with and for girls. We believe strongly in the importance of the all-girl, girl-led, and girl-friendly environment that Girl Scouts provides, which creates a free space for girls to learn and thrive.”

“The need for female leadership has never been clearer or more urgent than it is today-and only Girl Scouts has the expertise to give girls and young women the tools they need for success. Girl Scouts works. We’re commited to preparing the next generation of women leaders, and we’re here to stay.

Girls will be allowed to enter a Club Scouts program starting next year, and older girls will be able to enter a program that could earn them the infamous Eagle Scout rank starting 2019.

So, as a 14 year old European who doesn’t have too much understanding of this situation, I’m asking you guys: is this a good thing or bad thing? Debate away!

 

[Danoff]

I'm an Eagle Scout myself and a strong believer in the rights of private organizations to do as they please as long as they're not infringing the rights of others. The BSA had every right to exclude girls, and do other discriminatory things. That being said, there's nothing gender-specific about the BSA program, and it will be a great resource for both girls and boys. It creates potential problems in the realm of teenage sex, beyond the problems they already had, but there's no reason to think that those can't be addressed.

It's a good move for them. They should change their name.

 

[Jump_Ace]

So now it will be Boy Scouts Of America? I was a rifle instructor for BSA in college and it's basically a military prep camp


Jerome

 

[Danoff]

it's basically a military prep camp

It can be that, and you can view it that way. You can also view it from the perspective of offering some of the benefits of military self-discipline and personal responsibility without requiring exposure to actual warfare.

 

[CodeRedR51]

No problems with it, my only question would be: what happens to the Girl Scouts now?

 

[huskeR32]

No problems with it, my only question would be: what happens to the Girl Scouts now?

I don't think anything necessarily has to happen to it; they weren't all that similar in what they offered, and I don't think that opening BSA's doors to girls will suddenly drop participation in GSA to zero.

 

[CodeRedR51]

I don't think anything necessarily has to happen to it; they weren't all that similar in what they offered, and I don't think that opening BSA's doors to girls will suddenly drop participation in GSA to zero.

No, but it could hurt the numbers. I think the two should have just merged and called it a day.

 

[Danoff]

I think the two should have just merged

 

[Northstar]

I don't see any reason why this would be a bad thing. Plenty of girls like doing the outdoors thing which seems to be a good portion of the BSA program.

The only down side is that the girls may use their voodoo powers obtained in the GSA to make me buy overpriced popcorn and wreaths instead of cookies.

 

[DDastardly00]

Well, you have moms that are den leaders that have daughters that would love to join the scouts if the opportunity is available. I don't see how this could be a bad thing for the scouts at all. I do see how the Girl Scouts could be affected though, I understand why they are unhappy with this move, but the Boys Scouts are a private organization and they can admit girls if they want to. I agree they should change their name to Scouts of America.

 

[Roo]

No, but it could hurt the numbers. I think the two should have just merged and called it a day.

Here in the UK, girls have been allowed to join the Scouts since 1991. Girl Guides - the UK equivalent of Girl Scouts - still thrives despite this, and membership numbers between the two are similar. Very broadly speaking, the more outdoorsy, "tomboy"ish girls gravitate to Scouts, whereas the more "girly" girls go to Guides.

I'm a Scout leader in the UK and in our group, which has almost 100 members from 6 to 14, over a third are girls. Many of them have tried (or, in some cases, been sent to) Guiding previously, found it "too boring" and have come to Scouts instead. Most of the girls in my group could be summarised as "I want to get my nails painted, but I also want to blow stuff up", although in fairness that applies to some of the boys too. On a camp, anyone who sits still long enough is likely to get their hair braided by girls who will quite happily turn a rabbit into a meal.

It creates potential problems in the realm of teenage sex, beyond the problems they already had, but there's no reason to think that those can't be addressed.

We've never had an issue in our group, although as they move up to the next section (from Scouts to Explorers) and out of our group at 14 that's not surprising. We always have separate tents and toilets for boys and girls, but apart from that they're all treated the same and do the same activities. I know the next section up does the same, as do almost all Explorer units, although I did hear of one group where all 16 of their 14-17 year olds slept in one tent on the basis that no pair will try anything with 14 others present...

Really, the only changes BSA will need to make on the ground are to add tampons to the camp kit list - with Scouts being 10-14, we keep some sanitary towels in the first aid kits, just in case - and to make sure groups don't have a girl-only patrols. We had one for a while. They won everything.

 

[BobK]

The Girl Scouts have criticised the BSA’s move. “Girl Scouts is the best girl leadership organisation in the world, created with and for girls. We believe strongly in the importance of the all-girl, girl-led, and girl-friendly environment that Girl Scouts provides, which creates a free space for girls to learn and thrive.”

“The need for female leadership has never been clearer or more urgent than it is today-and only Girl Scouts has the expertise to give girls and young women the tools they need for success. Girl Scouts works. We’re commited to preparing the next generation of women leaders, and we’re here to stay."

Girls will be allowed to enter a Club Scouts program starting next year, and older girls will be able to enter a program that could earn them the infamous Eagle Scout rank starting 2019.

I am undecided on this issue. One big practical issue I can think of is, how are they going to shuffle sleeping arrangements at Scout summer camps?

One think I note is that if another organization were to substitute "boy" for girl", "male" for "female" etc in the Girl Scouts' statement, the feminists and PC crowd would be up in arms about it.

Should the GSA be allowing boys to join their organization?

 

[Northstar]

One big practical issue I can think of is, how are they going to shuffle sleeping arrangements at Scout summer camps?

I don't think it would be that difficult. I was in a knock-off organization when I was young that was co-ed with various ages and don't recall any issues.

Should the GSA be allowing boys to join their organization?

I'm surprised they don't, seems odd that the BCA is the more PC of the two at the moment.

 

[Roo]

I am undecided on this issue. One big practical issue I can think of is, how are they going to shuffle sleeping arrangements at Scout summer camps?

Girls in one tent, boys in another.

Should the GSA be allowing boys to join their organization?

I sometimes wonder how long Girl Guides in the UK can hold out not allowing boys.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I sometimes wonder how long Girl Guides in the UK can hold out not allowing boys.

Girls were first allowed into Scouts in 1976 in the UK, I think it's more likely that Girl Guides will continue as they are or fade away if the demand vanishes. It hasn't vanished so far.

 

[W3H5]

There were girls in my troop when I was a scout in the early 90’s and it wasn’t a problem. In fact, one of my first childhood girlfriends was a member of my scout group.

 

[stonesfan129]

I'm going to with "indifferent." I do not see it as a bad thing to be all-inclusive and just call it "Scouts of America."

 

[ryzno]

I just want to know why the Boy Scouts have to be PC, yet the Girls Scouts refuse to allow a transgender kid...

It's business. Boy Scouts are losing sign ups. Which means they are losing money. They are desperate.

I was a Boy Scout. Say what you want but the Boy Scouts have a military history.

That's all I have to say...

 

[TenEightyOne]

I was a Boy Scout. Say what you want but the Boy Scouts have a military history.

That's all I have to say...

I idly wondered just how Americanised the Boy Scouts of Murica could be, so I did a little googling.



They sort-of use the normal world-wide scouting badge of fleur-de-lys over a reef... but it's somehow just a little more... Murican. I laughed aloud when I saw it, to be honest.

Spoiler

What's more I have to point out that this is a logo for Boy Scouts of America. Further details: Boy Scouts of America corporate trademark, created in 1987 by Randy Fisher and Jim Darnell, The Art Source, Dallas, Texas. "BSA Introduces New Logo". Scouting. Boy Scouts of America: 4. March–April 1988. See also Brand Identity Guide.

Lord Baden-Powell would be turning in his exquisitely-darned socks.

 

[Northstar]

I idly wondered just how Americanised the Boy Scouts of Murica could be, so I did a little googling.

View attachment 684972

They sort-of use the normal world-wide scouting badge of fleur-de-lys over a reef... but it's somehow just a little more... Murican. I laughed aloud when I saw it, to be honest.

Spoiler

View attachment 684971

What's more I have to point out that this is a logo for Boy Scouts of America. Further details: Boy Scouts of America corporate trademark, created in 1987 by Randy Fisher and Jim Darnell, The Art Source, Dallas, Texas. "BSA Introduces New Logo". Scouting. Boy Scouts of America: 4. March–April 1988. See also Brand Identity Guide.

Lord Baden-Powell would be turning in his exquisitely-darned socks.

You are aware that they have had a similar logo to that since it was founded in 1910 right? And that they also wear the international patch?

You better not be going imprisoned primate on us!

 

[TenEightyOne]

You are aware that they have had a similar logo to that since it was founded in 1910 right? And that they also wear the international patch?

That's all very well, it doesn't (for me) remove the humour in finding that they've edited -and-Americanised the usual worldwide patch by slapping a massive eagle on it

Genuine thanks for the corrections in my thinking though.

 

[Danoff]

https://www.wmur.com/article/boy-sc...ptcy-amid-sexual-misconduct-lawsuits/25572698

BSA may be facing bankruptcy over lawsuits. I do like some of the things this organization tried to do, and I'm extremely familiar with it having had a lot of personal experience with their curriculum. Unfortunately I do wonder whether the entire concept of the BSA is just too... old school for modern times.