The Boy Scouts of America have announced that starting February 2019, they will officially change their program name to be more inclusive of everyone. While the gender-neutral "Cub Scouts," for children aged 7-10, will retain the same name, the name of the group geared toward children 10-17, "Boy Scouts", will be shortened to just "Scouts." This is a step in the right direction to include everyone in experiences that never should've never been broken up by gender in the first place.
For as long as the organization has been around, The Boy Scouts of America have only offered membership to children who were male. At least that was until January 30, 2017, when they officially began allowing the enrollment of transgender boys in their boy-only programs. And just as there was backlash against that transition, there seems to be similar outrage about their newest announcement that starting this summer, girls will be able to enroll in the previously male-only groups!
This decision matters and sends a monumental message, and that is what makes it worth discussing. We are finally creating a space that fully promotes equality and bonding among peers that does not exclude anyone based on gender anymore. And now that I think about it, I'm confused as to why this ever was intended for only boys in the first place.
According to the (soon-to-be-called) Scouts BSA's website, the activities of the Boy Scouts include camping, derbies, field trips, and service projects. All of which were, until recently, deemed activities only for boys, which I find completely outlandish for the obvious reason that no children's activity should be considered male or female, especially when the skills acquired are beneficial to everyone.
Not only that, but the Scouts will also be promoting a welcoming environment for the first generation of young girls to join their troops. Along with dropping the "Boy" from the name Boy Scouts, they also plan to launch a "Scout Me In" program that is targeted towards girls and boys to let them know they are all welcome to join.
By changing the brand's name, The Scouts BSA is making a bold move in the fight for equality. They are stating their willingness to embrace the change of the world, as we all should. Moving forward into a world of more equality than today, we should consider what the Scouts' big change means for programs geared towards children; most notably, The Girl Scouts of America. Will the Girl Scouts soon follow suit and become an inclusive organization for all children?
Only time will tell.
