Recently the Boy Scouts of America released that they would begin admitting girls into their scouting program. While there have been some mixed feelings towards this movement, the redeeming aspects of this opportunity, such as gender inclusion, life lessons, and more, are undeniable. However, the Boy Scouts opening their doors to their female counterparts is not just an opportunity for the girls, but for the boys involved in the Scouts program as well.
Having been a part of the Girl Scouts of America and having seen how the ship is run has left a bad taste in my mouth regarding the organization since I chose to leave my troop many years ago. I saw friends of mine grow to dislike their troop and their experiences within the Girl Scouts at the same time that I was starting to dislike my own experience. That is not to say that everyone I know had a bad experience because I've known several girls who loved it through and through and even went on to receive their Gold Award. But I've hardly ever heard of boys disliking their time in the Boy Scouts program (again, not to say there aren't boys who didn't enjoy their experience).
While every organization has its supporters and offenders, let's be honest, there is no denying that there is little-to-no comparison between the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts organizations, let alone the achievements awarded throughout the programs. Let's break it down…
The Girl Scouts were founded just two years after the Boy Scouts, which was founded in 1910. Each organization has its distinct missions, to foster growth in their scouts and so on, but the real differences lie within the experiences of the two groups. Being founded in 1912, a very different time and society than we are experiencing today, the Girl Scouts has taught girls how to be women. In my experience with the girl scouts, this meant learning how to sew, how to replace a button, occasionally learning how to cook, and so on. From 1912 to 2008, when I was still in Scouts, it felt as though the programs had been updated very little to keep up with the times and the life lessons our girls need to learn and instead were stuck in the older idealizations of female gender roles.
Meanwhile, my male counterparts in the Boy Scouts had the opportunity to learn wilderness and survival skills, the skills that I and many other girls never had the opportunity to learn. Granted, the boys of the Boys Scouts probably didn't get the chance to learn how to sew a button either. So maybe both organizations have their downfalls when it comes to impressing gender roles on our children, but at least the Boy Scouts have made moves to change that.
Girls having the opportunity to join the ranks of the Scouts alongside boys is a tremendous opportunity for both girls and boys to grow. One argument I've heard against girls being allowed into the Boy Scouts is that girls wouldn't be safe surrounded by so many boys and men, but who is to say there wouldn't be female troop leaders as well? If male and female troop leaders worked alongside one another, there is no more danger for the scouts in the troops than there is for students on a school field trip with both male and female teachers and parents chaperoning.
Girls and boys coming together in a scouting experience of equality allows the opportunity for both boys and girls to learn not just about scouting topics but about life and interpersonal and interrelation skills as well. If from an early age boys and girls are taught, through scouts, the importance of gender equality and the dignities that each and every person deserves, sexual harassment and the dehumanization of women can be eradicated. Bullying and harassment are learned from one's surroundings, so if our boys and girls are exposed to strong, reliable leaders and role models, of both genders, who are equally and mutually respected and respectful, it can be expected that the hatred, disrespect and cruelty teeming within our schools and between our children would be greatly reduced.
I could go on for days about the opportunities afforded to our boys and girls through a shared scouting experience. Whether this merging of scouts is temporary or permanent, I am incredibly proud of both the Boy Scouts for opening their doors to our girls and the girls who embrace this opportunity that hasn't been available to girls before them. Thank you, Boy Scouts, for not leaving our girls behind when the Girl Scouts didn't attend to their needs.
