Boy Scouts to start admitting girls...

[1972Shocker]

The Girl Scouts of the USA aren't happy about it.

Now that the Boy Scouts have agreed to admit girls will they have to change their name maybe just to Young Scouts or Youth Scouts.

Can Transgender youth belong to both organizations.

Why do I think a lot of this may have something to do with money. Declining Boy Scout membership numbers on the one side and outrage by the Girls Scouts perhaps with their cookie empire may be challenged.

[Dan]

It will be interesting to see how many boys stop participating. As the Girl Scouts said, "the Boy Scouts should focus on recruiting the 90% of boys that don't belong and stop trying to recruit the girls"

[Shock Top]

It will be interesting to see how many boys stop participating. As the Girl Scouts said, "the Boy Scouts should focus on recruiting the 90% of boys that don't belong and stop trying to recruit the girls"

Bingo.

[CBB_Fan]

I don't think this is quite as big a departure as people think. Boys Scouts of America already runs a co-ed Venturing program for boys and girls aged 14-21, and they've been running this co-ed program since 1969. They also have STEM scouts, which has including girls since it was started.

The three primary programs run by the BSA are the Cub Scouts (7-11), Boy Scouts (11-18), and Venture Scouts (14-21, co-ed). These changes are to open up Cub Scouts to be co-ed, and to make a new program for girls aged 11-18 that will run in parallel with the Boy Scouts with the same honors (ie, Eagle Scout rank).

Or, more succinctly: Cub Scouts IS being integrated. Boy Scouts IS NOT.

The groups for very young kids can choose whether or not to be single-gender or co-ed. Boy Scouts will continue to be single-gender, but Boy Scouts of America will have a similar program for girls.

I'm also going to mention Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the United States of America are two separate organizations, with slightly different ideologies and leadership styles. BSA is better run and was more based on Christian civic values (started with reforms by the YMCA), whereas Girl Scouts is traditionally fairly liberal. Boy Scouts flat-out does a better job teaching outdoorsy skills and having fun adventures, though YMMV.

As far as I can see though, the only practical difference is the Eagle Scout rank. Girl Scouts have a "Gold Award" but it has nothing near the prestige. You get a gold award; you ARE an Eagle Scout. It makes a big difference applying for college if nothing else.

I'm ambivalent about the whole thing. I recognize that many girls would prefer to have a more Boy Scouts-esque scouting experience and the opportunity to earn the more prestigious Eagle Scout rank, but seems like somewhat of a cash grab on behalf of BSA.

A part of me doesn't like the path towards tearing down all the male-only social groups. I think they can serve a crucial role in society, teaching boys what it means to be "men." Not that an integrated scouting program can't also have a positive impact, but I think there is an element that will go missing. I hope at the very least people have the good sense to keep most Cub Scout programs single gender.

[SHOCKvalue]

I don't think this is quite as big a departure as people think. Boys Scouts of America already runs a co-ed Venturing program for boys and girls aged 14-21, and they've been running this co-ed program since 1969. They also have STEM scouts, which has including girls since it was started.

The three primary programs run by the BSA are the Cub Scouts (7-11), Boy Scouts (11-18), and Venture Scouts (14-21, co-ed). These changes are to open up Cub Scouts to be co-ed, and to make a new program for girls aged 11-18 that will run in parallel with the Boy Scouts with the same honors (ie, Eagle Scout rank).

Or, more succinctly: Cub Scouts IS being integrated. Boy Scouts IS NOT.

The groups for very young kids can choose whether or not to be single-gender or co-ed. Boy Scouts will continue to be single-gender, but Boy Scouts of America will have a similar program for girls.

I'm also going to mention Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the United States of America are two separate organizations, with slightly different ideologies and leadership styles. BSA is better run and was more based on Christian civic values (started with reforms by the YMCA), whereas Girl Scouts is traditionally fairly liberal. Boy Scouts flat-out does a better job teaching outdoorsy skills and having fun adventures, though YMMV.

As far as I can see though, the only practical difference is the Eagle Scout rank. Girl Scouts have a "Gold Award" but it has nothing near the prestige. You get a gold award; you ARE an Eagle Scout. It makes a big difference applying for college if nothing else.

I'm ambivalent about the whole thing. I recognize that many girls would prefer to have a more Boy Scouts-esque scouting experience and the opportunity to earn the more prestigious Eagle Scout rank, but seems like somewhat of a cash grab on behalf of BSA.

A part of me doesn't like the path towards tearing down all the male-only social groups. I think they can serve a crucial role in society, teaching boys what it means to be "men." Not that an integrated scouting program can't also have a positive impact, but I think there is an element that will go missing. I hope at the very least people have the good sense to keep most Cub Scout programs single gender.

Well... looks like CBB_Fan can check off his Google-search-and-post exercise for the day.

Glad SN offers you a daily outlet for that apparent need.

[CBB_Fan]

Well... looks like CBB_Fan can check off his Google-search-and-post exercise for the day.

Glad SN offers you a daily outlet for that apparent need.

Gotta have something to do when bored at work. But honestly I can tell say it is just a personality thing. I like having opinions, I like doing research, and I like being right. I do the same thing with basketball, football, and hobbies of all sorts of things so this is far from the only outlet.

My egotistical side likes to believe that society would be better off if that sort of fact searching was the norm rather than the exception.

[Kung Wu]

Gotta have something to do when bored at work. But honestly I can tell say it is just a personality thing. I like having opinions, I like doing research, and I like being right. I do the same thing with basketball, football, and hobbies of all sorts of things so this is far from the only outlet.

My egotistical side likes to believe that society would be better off if that sort of fact searching was the norm rather than the exception.

Well, two out of three ain't bad!

[Kung Wu]

What's next, they are going to let Roy Williams in?