Boy Scouts to drop "boy" from name and accept girls joining in 2019.

[orionz06]

Girl Scouts is bullshit. Particularly when compared to Boy Scouts. All Girl Scouts train girls to do is to aggressively sell cookies and branded merchandise and getting taken for a ride in a pyramid scheme.

I don't have kids but I grew up knowing some aggressive girl scout families and my cousins were in girl scouts, and a co-worker's girls left for a different program. Girl Scouts are all screwed up, and then some. The number of boy scout style programs out there for girls that started because of this was astounding when a co-worker rattled the list off. Her husband and girls love the program they're in, it's obviously smaller but it's independent of the school year (year round) and focuses on activities/experiences rather than selling shit. My cousins were in Girl Scouts in two areas to see in both political shit that rivals something the Clinton's would do.

That said, growing up for me the local Boy Scouts were the same way with several Eagle Scout projects conveniently set to benefit a families business interests and effectively punishment for calling that out.


As it turns out most people in leadership roles outside of real jobs tend to ruin things.

[TheNewbie]

This is sad. Boys need boy based groups and girls need girl based groups, and the same is true for men and women. While there is a place for coed activities, men and women are different. This difference is greater than just what society bestows upon on us, and the differences should be celebrated and embraced. Men and women are equal of course, but equal doesn't mean the same.

[Clusterfrack]

I’m 110% behind this. There can be all boy and all girl troops if folks want that. I was in the Civil Air Patrol, and we had boys and girls working together with zero problems.

One of my girls was a program leader at a Boy Scout camp. No issues there either. Except a bit of grumbling when she outshot all the scouts and leaders :-)

Both of my girls had zero interest in Girl Scouts, but would have probably done the new Scouts BSA. (And they can be very girly).

[Corey]

I am glad my son completed his Eagle Scout a couple of months ago. Now we don't have to be concerned with what changes BSA makes.

[BehindBlueI's]

Why change something that works if it works? But a name change should not affect program quality.

Because it's not working. Declining membership and finances have been an issue for BSA for awhile.

On Wednesday, the organization said it had about 1.25 million Cub Scouts and over 800,000 Boy Scouts in nearly 100,000 units across the United States. At its peak in the 1970s, the Boy Scouts of America, incorporated in 1910, had closer to five million members.

Also, it looks to me like if there are any integrated troops, it'll be at the Cub Scout level. Older scouts will still be in single sex units.

The program for the older boys and girls will largely be divided along gender-lines, with single-sex units pursuing the same types of activities, earning the same array of merit badges and potentially having the same pathway to the coveted Eagle Scout award.

Surbaugh said that having separate units for boys and girls should alleviate concerns that girls joining the BSA for the first time might be at a disadvantage in seeking leadership opportunities.

[Poconnor]

I thought They already let females into the explorers. I am not optimistic about the coming changes

[TheNewbie]

I thought They already let females into the explorers. I am not optimistic about the coming changes

No reason you should be . The changes are not based on wisdom. I hope I'm wrong but doubt I am.

[JohnO]

I think it comes down to the almighty dollar. Boy Scout registration numbers have been dwindling. BSA depends upon the money kicked up from the Troops. My Troop has 16 boys and the cost of our charter just to exist as a Troop is $2,500 for the year. It gets us nothing but the right to call our-self a Boy Scout Troop and insurance. High Adventure, Summer Camp, weekend camping in a local BSA owned camp ... all cost more. With overall registrations shrinking the influx of girls must be looked on as a way to sustain the Fat Cats at the top. Obviously the Girl Scouts feel as if they are being poached.

My oldest son made Eagle a while back and my younger son is on the cusp of Eagle. I want him to finish ASAP and then I'm ending my 15 years with Scouts.

What few know is the logistics of supervision required for Boy Scouts. All scouting activities require 2 over 1 leadership. A minimum of Two adults must be present at all Scouting events which include Hikes, Camporees, Weekend Camp outs... If a girl wants to join a Troop with all male adult leadership then two women must step up and participate in any outdoor program involving girls. A camp out that currently is boys only can go with 2 male adults. Add a girl or girls and now you need 2 male adults and 2 female adults. (What I really want to know is if those adults must be biologically male of female or if "Identifying as" is good enough.) I don't think there will be a huge number of moms or women standing in line to get involved with outdoor activities. I may be wrong.

[richiecotite]

Quite the disappointing move. I’m an Eagle Scout, and have a daughter in Girl Scouts, and to me this is just a day late and dollar short.

I understand there’s girls that want to be be in Boy Scouts, maybe their dad or brother is involved and it makes life easier to officially let Susie be involved. But there is certainly still value

Regarding Girl Scouts, it’s a much more flexible program compared to BSA. It’s not without its issues, but you don’t see GS enrollment numbers floundering and them allowing boys to participate.

[Poconnor]

My first wife would stress when I asked her to navigate on long trips. I would tease her that the Girl Scouts did not have a map reading badge. I can see how this will help with numbers but I think it will hurt as much as it will help.