Girls Joining Boy Scouts. Is this a feminist move to suppress young men and boys?

[Mustard1]

I am involved in the Boy Scouts of America, and quite frankly, girls joining our troops has started to scare me. The whole point of the Boy Scouts program is to raise strong young men who are moral, ethical and full of self-confidence. But girls being let into the program has endangered this.

Having a boys-only group can help them bond, create belonging and have relatable groups of boys to talk to. These groups also create friendly competition and goal setting that can influence their self-confidence in a good way. I feel that it’s important for boys to connect with girls, but with the rise of (extreme) feminism, this relationship has begun to take a hostile turn. Girls now have more even more opportunities than boys (ex. STEM program), and female college acceptance has exceeded those of men. Letting girls in the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) program sends the message that girls are more important than boys and that they can do whatever they want, such as taking away their safe haven. In addition, there is no friendly competition what so ever. Female bodies naturally mature more quickly than male bodies giving them a slight advantage and this can demolish the self-confidence in these boys. Backed by this utterly diabolical feminist movement, boys are being pushed to the side.

I do believe that girls deserve the same opportunities as boys, but taking away the boys’ opportunities is not the right course of action. Also, many feminists shed their anger and hatred towards men at these young boys. It is true that we as a society have a complicated legacy related to rights, such as the suffrage movement in the mid 19th century and the impression of women. But these modern-day feminists have no right to take away a boy’s self-confidence. These boys have nothing to do with female suppression. Most of these anti-female rights movements happened 100 years ago! This is completely unnecessary and unacceptable.

Please tell me what you think, and if you think I’m wrong, then please give me your evidence and explain, you might be able to sway me.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

I am involved in the Boy Scouts of America, and quite frankly, girls joining our troops has started to scare me. The whole point of the Boy Scouts program is to raise strong young men who are moral, ethical and full of self-confidence. But girls being let into the program has endangered this.

Having a boys-only group can help them bond, create belonging and have relatable groups of boys to talk to. These groups also create friendly competition and goal setting that can influence their self-confidence in a good way. I feel that it’s important for boys to connect with girls, but with the rise of (extreme) feminism, this relationship has begun to take a hostile turn. Girls now have more even more opportunities than boys (ex. STEM program), and female college acceptance has exceeded those of men. Letting girls in the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) program sends the message that girls are more important than boys and that they can do whatever they want, such as taking away their safe haven. In addition, there is no friendly competition what so ever. …Backed by this utterly diabolical feminist movement, boys are being pushed to the side.

I do believe that girls deserve the same opportunities as boys, but taking away the boys’ opportunities is not the right course of action. Also, many feminists shed their anger and hatred towards men at these young boys… these modern-day feminists have no right to take away a boy’s self-confidence. These boys have nothing to do with female suppression. Most of these anti-female rights movements happened 100 years ago! This is completely unnecessary and unacceptable.

Please tell me what you think, and if you think I’m wrong, then please give me your evidence and explain, you might be able to sway me.

You are absolutely right. Traditional societies have always recognized the innate differences between boys and girls, and have organized themselves accordingly. And hatred of men and boys is a very real thing in our day.

This is one reason we homeschool. My son’s former Catholic school was entirely oriented towards the female mind. The principal routinely recommended that boys (including my son) be medicated, or as I would put it, “medicate the boy out of them”. It is not in most boys’ nature to sit still and read books all the time. I am able to educate my son making full allowance for the fact that he is… a boy. When sitting and listening is getting to be a problem, we end that class and do something else instead. We get out in the yard and dig, and explore, and do experiments, and do target practice with air rifles. He gets outside and burns off all that energy. And he learns, and learns well.

There most certainly do need to be single-sex preserves for both boys and girls. The Boy Scouts used to be one of those preserves. Would the Girl Scouts be amenable to boys joining up and selling cookies? Girls learn a lot about salespersonship, entrepreneurship, and public relations through these cookie sales. That’s great, I couldn’t be more in favor of it. I love Samoas. But should boys be shut out of that? Why?

 

[catholiclala]

I think it’s dumb. Girls already have a scouting group. It also sends the message that somehow being a Boy Scout is the ideal, which ironically defeats any attempts at feminist empowerment. Why does equalizing girls often mean making them boys? I’m so over the negation of separation between the sexes. There are times it is good to blend and times it’s stupid. This is one of the stupid times. I’m tired of parents making their kids development about their personal poltiics.

 

[Elias]

Is this a feminist move to suppress young men and boys?

Yes

 

[1ke]

Having a boys-only group can help them bond, create belonging and have relatable groups of boys to talk to.

According to the BSA site, the dens and troops for Cubs and Scouts can be separated by sex or they can be co-ed.

So, look to your local charters to find what works for you.

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been declining in membership. Honestly, GSA and BSA should be working together but they have had an acrimonious relationship for 100 years.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Mustard1:

Having a boys-only group can help them bond, create belonging and have relatable groups of boys to talk to.

According to the BSA site, the dens and troops for Cubs and Scouts can be separated by sex or they can be co-ed.

So, look to your local charters to find what works for you.

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been declining in membership. Honestly, GSA and BSA should be working together but they have had an acrimonious relationship for 100 years.

Working together, great. If they needed to, there’s no reason they couldn’t merge into one administrative organization. But there should be separate units and leadership for boys and girls within that organization.

 

[1ke]

Working together, great. If they needed to, there’s no reason they couldn’t merge into one administrative organization.

Well, again: acrimonious relationship for the last 100 years makes this doubtful.

But there should be separate units and leadership for boys and girls within that organization.

That’s an opinion, which you are entitled to. But I don’t necessarily share it.

And, BTW, there have been female/mom cub scout leaders for YEARS.

And the the upper levels-- Venturing, Explorer, and Sea Scouts-- have had co-ed options for decades. But girls could not earn Eagle Scout even if they did all the things, and now they can.

 

[Medawlinno]

Are you aware that the US is one of the few countries in the world that does not / did not have co-ed Scouting?? In most countries, Scouting has been co-ed for decades.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

HomeschoolDad:

But there should be separate units and leadership for boys and girls within that organization.

That’s an opinion, which you are entitled to. But I don’t necessarily share it.

And, BTW, there have been female/mom cub scout leaders for YEARS.

I know. I was in Cub Scouts. It really needs to be an all-male organization. No disrespect to the den mothers, but boys need to be learning from men, and learning how to be men.

Come at it from the opposite direction — are there male leaders in the Girl Scouts? If I had a daughter, and if she were in Girl Scouts, I wouldn’t be terribly thrilled about that prospect, for several reasons.

 

[1ke]

are there male leaders in the Girl Scouts? I

Yes. There are dads that lead girl scout troops.

 

[libbeylu]

This is troubling…

The Boy Scouts should only include boys!

Now I am wondering what the Girl Scout organization actually do other that sell cookies. Maybe that needs to be addressed…

 

[1ke]

This is troubling…

The Boy Scouts should only include boys!

Well, the Venturing, Explorer, and Sea Scout levels have included girls since the 1970s so you are about 50 years too late with the outrage.

The Boy Scouts USA has created Family Scouting incorporating the choice of all-boy, all-girl, or co-ed dens and troops at the Cub and Scout level.

Now I am wondering what the Girl Scout organization actually do other that sell cookies. Maybe that needs to be addressed…

I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you’ve written here. The GS-USA organization is not affiliated with Boy Scouts at all. And, Girl Scouts isn’t just “boy scouts for girls” it’s completely different and doesn’t offer the same programs at all.

 

[libbeylu]

I know that the GS-USA organization is not affiliated with the Boy Scouts…I just wonder what the GS-USA organization actually do other than sell Cookies…?
It would seem that there would be programs in the GS-USA that would interest more girls and let the Boy Scouts have only boys join…girls joining the Boy Scouts is an indication that the GS-USA organization need new recipes…perhaps

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

Some years back, there was a movement to let girls join the Boy Scouts.
This was before the surge of gender ideology we see now.
A lot of the girls’ reason was because they wanted the more outdoorsy activities the local BS troop was offering, but couldn’t find it in their local GS troops.
This was also during the time that Women’s Liberation was big in th3 news, and a lot of girls simply wanted to prove themselves, and not be condescended to.

So, there is a precedent for letting girls join, but it was a different time, and our culture has changed quite a bit.

 

[catholiclala]

If the girl programs are lame and that is why they want to join the boys, then they should better develop the girl program.

 

[1ke]

If the girl programs are lame and that is why they want to join the boys, then they should better develop the girl program.

The differences are much more fundamental than that.

And BSA is promoting Family Scouting.

 

[commenter]

If the girl programs are lame and that is why they want to join the boys, then they should better develop the girl program.

Not sure about lame, but the GSA is now aggressively secular. Yes they do allow religious emblems, but the overall ideology us mostly non compatible with Christianity.

That’s why some Catholic Dioceses and Protestant churches are promoting alternatives such as American Heritage Girls and Little Flowers.

Regards the BSA perhaps some larger troops can establish separate boys and girls troops. But most troops are small, so they may bring in girls just to stay alive.

Ideally BSA troops might plan joint activities with American Heritage or Little Flowers, which are more compatible. That way they have a little cooperation but maintain separate gender focus.

 

[Mustard1]

And the upper levels-- Venturing, Explorer, and Sea Scouts-- have had co-ed options for decades. But girls could not earn Eagle Scout even if they did all the things, and now they can.

Does it matter that girls for a while could not earn Eagle Scout? I mean the GS-USA does have the Gold award. Many people counter my argument with “Well the awards are not the same”, so then change them. If people don’t like what an award represents or how it is earned, then they should contact GS-USA and convince them to change it. (so maybe its more equal?)

I think it’s dumb. Girls already have a scouting group. It also sends the message that somehow being a Boy Scout is the ideal, which ironically defeats any attempts at feminist empowerment. Why does equalizing girls often mean making them boys?

If the girl programs are lame and that is why they want to join the boys, then they should better develop the girl program.

I absolutely agree with this.

Some years back, there was a movement to let girls join the Boy Scouts.
This was before the surge of gender ideology we see now.
A lot of the girls’ reason was because they wanted the more outdoorsy activities the local BS troop was offering, but couldn’t find it in their local GS troops.

This troubles me quite a bit. If GS doesn’t support what girls want and need, then what is the point? If they wanted to prove themselves, then they could have changed the programs they offered, such as promoting more outdoor activities. I actually know some girls scouts who recently joined a BSA troop, because their girl troop didn’t do any outdoor activities. They told me a story about how during a meeting, they voted on what they wanted to do for their next trip and one of then said, “we don’t have to do anything crazy, maybe just a hike?” And this was met with wide disapproval, and lost in opposition to going to a salon. When I hear this, it just makes me think that there is just a smaller amount of girls who want to do outdoorish activities such as hiking, backpacking, and climbing.

 

[1ke]

Does it matter that girls for a while could not earn Eagle Scout?

Actually, it does.

There are MANY college scholarships for those who earn Eagle Scout. There is not nearly the level of scholarship opportunity for a Girl Scout “gold” award.

I mean the GS-USA does have the Gold award. Many people counter my argument with “Well the awards are not the same”, so then change them. If people don’t like what an award represents or how it is earned, then they should contact GS-USA and convince them to change it. (so maybe its more equal?)

Sure people can lobby for whatever they want.

(so maybe its more equal?)

The Gold award and the Eagle Scout designation are apples and oranges.

If GS doesn’t support what girls want and need, then what is the point? If they wanted to prove themselves, then they could have changed the programs they offered, such as promoting more outdoor activities

GSA is structured fundamentally differently than BSA.

 

[Mustard1]

How so, what do you mean by structured differently?