Boy Scouts of America rebranding to more inclusive Scouting America
Boy Scouts of America rebranding to more inclusive Scouting America
The organization began allowing gay youth in 2013 and ended a blanket ban on gay adult leaders in 2015. In 2017, it made the historic announcement that girls would be accepted as Cub Scouts as of 2018 and into the flagship Boy Scout program — renamed Scouts BSA — in 2019.
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So is there a point to the Girl Scouts now? What are they going to do? Start accepting boys? Or try to widen their activities to compete with the Boy Scouts so they don't lose membership?
Girl Scouts USA has always been a completely separate organization with no affiliation to Boy Scouts of America
Correct, but girls was their mark of differentiation. Without one, what will they do with this other organization going on their turf? Will they react? Adjust? That's what I'm saying.
In the UK, The Scout Association went fully co-ed in 2007 and Girl Guiding remains a girls-only organisation. Both are doing just fine.
I appreciate the clarification, but I was curious how they avoid redundancy. Luckily, for anyone else who is curious, @MerrySkeptic@sh.itjust.works put a summary of their distinctions in a comment below.
Thanks. I don't know a great deal about Girl Guiding's programme in the UK, but I understand that there's a similar distinction between it and the Scout Association's programme as there is in the US.
Yes, and the question is how will this separate organisation react to them muscling in on their turf.
Well they already tried suing them when they began accepting girls and changed their name the first time to Scouts BSA, but that didn't work. But truthfully the two organizations have different missions and methods.
Historically, a lot of girls who joined GSUSA thinking it was going to be Boy Scouts for girls were disappointed and would leave. GSUSA is more about empowering girls through community engagement and exploring careers. Yes there can also be camping, hiking, etc but these are more or less optional components, up to each troop to integrate. Rank advancement is based on age and grade level, while awards are based on merit.
Boy Scouts is much more focused on outdoor skills and citizenship. These are integrated into the program in that advancement in rank is based solely on merit and demonstrating proficiency with these skills. You can spend six years in Boy Scouts and never make it past Tenderfoot.
So for girls who want more emphasis on the outdoors built into their program, Scouting America would be the better option. For those that want more flexibility and are less outdoorsy, GSUSA is still an option. Both are good programs. I have kids in both. There are some things I like better about GSUSA and some I like more in Boy Scouts. I think Boy Scouts is a more challenging program overall, but GSUSA's Gold Award is way more challenging to achieve than an Eagle project. I definitely prefer GSUSA not having a religious requirement.
Both programs will continue to adapt and change. Both have been experiencing declines in membership for decades anyway, so there's bigger problems that they're facing.
Thanks for the great summary! It answered my questions as well. I hope you don't mind but I liked your comment so much that I put it on !bestoflemmy@lemmy.world
Which I think I'll also subscribe to lol
Thanks! I think that's my first Lemmy Best Of!
Interesting. Have GSUSA tried to mitigate the membership decline?
Exactly.
So is there a point to the Girl Scouts now?
You're far less likely to be sexually assaulted.
Unless it's by a bear.
Wait... I think I'm in the wrong thread.
That we know of...