CONTROVERSIAL OPINION: Why I Surprisingly Support Girls in the BSA (but not in the Boy Scouts)!

DISCLAIMER: This is my personal opinion and does not represent the official position of my Den, Pack, District, Council, Region, the national organization of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), or the World Organization of the Scouting Movement (WOSM). I'm posting my personal opinion so that I can point others to it, instead of making the same arguments over and over on social media and in emails.

Some people might be surprised. Mostly I think they are confused about what is really happening. Please read below and see what is REALLY happening. Don't trust the buzz and spin of those with agendas.

First off, Packs get to decide if they wish to remain segregated starting in Autumn 2018 , and so there can be all-boy and all-girl Packs. It is all up to the Adult Volunteers and the Chartering Organizations. (Packs and Troops are chartered by a local organizations such as churches, PTAs, charitable organizations, etc.)

If a Pack decides to become integrated, the Dens are still segregated. There are all boy dens and all girl dens. So boys still get to be boys around boys, and girls still get to be girls around girls!

What about the Boy Scouts (11-17 year old Scouts)? The press release says nothing about letting girls join Boy Scout Troops. It says it will create a new program for girls so they can earn the same ranks as Boy Scouts do. My guess is it will be called Girl Guides, the original name for female Scouts. A name still in use around the world where Scouts are segregated based on sex.

What kind of interest is out there? The survey results are overwhelming and echo the flood of requests the BSA has received from families wanting a BSA program for girls.

At a glance, from Scouting Magazine:

• 90 percent of parents not involved with the BSA expressed interest in getting their daughter involved in programs like Cub Scouts.
• 87 percent of parents not involved with the BSA expressed interest in getting their daughter involved in programs like Boy Scouts.

Why the interest? Well many Girl Scouts don't like the current GSUSA program. They say they want to camp, learn knots, and learn to be leaders. The GSUSA Council have been selling off camps at an alarming rate lately, and this ties in to the lack of camping. The BSA has heard this over and over again, and decided to help these girls out, when the GSUSA has chose not to.

Back to Packs, Cub Scouts is a family organization. We have sisters coming to events, doing the same thing as their brothers, enjoying the events just as much, but not being able to earn awards. Why not let them join and earn ranks and Adventure Loops, Awards, and other Badges?

What many don't even know, is that the BSA already has integrated programs with young men and women aged 15-21 in Sea Scout Ships, Venturing Crews, S.T.E.M. Scout Labs, and Exploring Clubs & Posts. Youth Protection programs including 2-deep leadership help keep them safe from predators and inappropriate behaviour.

So in the end, if you want your boy segregated from girls in Scouting, you can choose that. If you want your girl segregated from boys in Scouting, you can choose that. If you want an integrated Scouting experience for your family, you can choose that at certain ages too.

I understand that some parents with only boys in their family, may not understand this move, but take it from a parent of 1 girl and 2 boys, this is really a good move.

Please consider buying some delicious popcorn this month to help support my son's Scouting adventures this year at https://www.trails-end.com/store/scout/ZXPHQBKI
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