The founders of Boy Scouts would never have anticipated the changes their organization has undergone in the past year.
By next February, the Boy Scouts of America will have completely rebranded to the gender-neutral "Scouts BSA,” accepting girls ages 10-17 into their scouting program. In addition, Scouts BSA will feature a program for girls that allows them to earn the rank of Eagle Scout (the Boy Scout equivalent of the Girl Scout Gold Award).
The chief reason cited for rebranding is inclusiveness. “As we enter a new era for our organization, it is important that all youth can see themselves in Scouting in every way possible," Chief Scout Executive Mike Surbaugh said.
The organization claims that an added benefit to allowing girls into BSA lifts a burden from busy parents; now, they can consolidate programs for their children, and join just one organization that serves the whole family.
However, some believe that rather than a combined, gender-neutral organization for inclusion and convenience, this is all a ploy to boost numbers. Currently, the Boy Scouts of America has 2.3 million members, 300,000 members less than five years ago. In its peak years, BSA had over 4 million scouts.
Additionally, most of the actual Cub packs and Scout troops will be single gender. Rather than promoting simple gender neutrality, Scouts BSA will still largely segregate boys and girls in their program.
Most importantly, the Girl Scouts' response to the rebranding has been less than stellar.
"The Boy Scouts' house is on fire," Girl Scouts told ABC News. "Instead of addressing systemic issues of continuing sexual assault, financial mismanagement and deficient programming, BSA's senior management wants to add an accelerant to the house fire by recruiting girls.” Pretty incendiary rebuke.
Though, as an Ambassador Girl Scout (the highest level of Girl Scouting) who has achieved her Gold Award (the highest honor in Girl Scouting), I can see why Girl Scouts is upset by the sudden change.
As a girl-specific organization, Girl Scouts focuses on empowering girls and women. As the CEO of Girl Scouts USA explains, “Girl Scouts is the premier leadership development organization for girls."
On the Girl Scouts' website, the organization presents research and experience-based justifications for why girls thrive in an all-girl, girl-led, and girl-friendly environment. Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey's CEO Betty Garger states that
"what Girl Scouts offer can't be replicated," as girls have specific needs that the organization addresses.
Though some may argue that a single-gender organization is less inclusive, Girl Scouts remains firm in their stance that an all-girl environment makes a difference.
Based on Girl Scout reaction and the responses from the general public, it may time some time to adjust to the rebranding. It is safe to say that no one was prepared for a change of this magnitude.
