Should Boy Scouts allow Girls?

Copyright: h4nk / 123RF Stock Photo

When I was a girl I loved all the "boy stuff." My playground friends were boys. I played Batman instead of house. And I spent time reading my older brothers old Cub Scout books, working on badge and rank requirements. Those brothers were no longer in scouting, I wasn't old enough to join anyway, but I would have joined Boy Scouts in a second if that option was available.

We hear about these kinds of things occasionally. The girl who wants to join the Boy Scouts or the boy who wants to join Girl Scouts. Currently, BSA is considering whether to open more opportunities for girls in their program. Is this a good idea?

While five of the six children in my family participated in scouting at some point, I was the only one to stay involved in scouting through High School and into adulthood. Despite my young interest in Boy Scout program, I treasure the friendships I've made through Girl Scouting and I now recognize the value of the girl only nature of the organization. It provides opportunities for girls to grow outside of the realm of gender stereotypes and raging hormones. But gender isn't the only distinction between GSUSA and BSA.

The organizations share the same roots and both focus on youth-led activities that are character and leadership building, but they have grown increasingly different over time.

In either organization, the individual troop leadership has the most significant influence on any given child's experience, but some general differences persist.
Boy Scouts—in general—is more outdoor/leadership focused with a highly defined rank advancement system. Girl Scouts—in general—is more flexible and service focused with a separate recognition system for each level.
Troop organization also differs. Boy Scout troops are typically larger and span a larger age range. Girl Scout troops are often small and include girls who are very close in age. Girl Scout troops remain relatively constant over time, less likely to take in new members and bridge out older members than Boy Scout troops.

Arguments rage over which program is better. I happen to prefer the rank advancement, outdoor focus of the Boy Scouts, but also appreciate the way that Girl Scouting approaches youth-led program. Any given child might be served better one way or the other. Because the programs are different, I think either program should be available to either gender.

BUT kids can still use an opportunity to interact and grow in a safe, gender-segregated space.

So I encourage opening the Boy Scout program to girls and vice-versa, but only if individual troops are not required to be co-ed. Troops should be allowed to be organized along gender lines.