The Girl Scouts have come under scrutiny once more, but this is hardly the first time the organization has endured brutal nitpicking and evisceration at the hands of critics. Founded on March 12, 1912 in Savannah, GA by Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low, the organization has long provided a place for girls to do things traditionally reserved for boys: hike, camp, play sports, etc.
In recent years, many people feel the organization forgoes the more masculine, outdoorsy activities in favor of STEM studies. While a focus on one’s studies isn’t a bad thing (and coming from a former Computer Science major, the STEM field needs more feminine influence), failing to strike a balance between the activities that will benefit a young girl’s future and the activities she enjoys doing seems like an odd oversight.
The Girl Scouts had a lot of support in their early years, but it did not last. Problems arose, as they often do, when the organization’s politics became involved. Even in 1955, people criticized the Girl Scouts for their changes. An article in May 1955 issue of The Atlantic called “What Happened to the Girl Scouts?” calls their behavior “pusillanimous” and ultimately decides the reason for the organization’s change in behavior was because it was no longer safe to speak their beliefs out loud.
This happened during a time when nationalism was at an all-time high, on the coattails of World War II and during the events the led to the Cold War. Any hint that girls should focus on international relations could not be tolerated, according to critics—critics that forgot how vital those international relationships were in the war effort against the Axis powers.
Clashes With the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church has openly opposed the Girl Scouts throughout the years, but the conflict has more to do with the organizations the Girl Scouts supports and associates with than the Girl Scouts itself. The main issue is the affiliation with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, or WAGGGS, an organization that openly supports pro-choice groups like Planned Parenthood.
Officially, the Girl Scouts of America takes a neutral stance on abortion and contraception. Individual troops can, however, discuss these topics and form their own stances with parental consent.
Despite these conflicts, not all Catholics feel the same way about the Girl Scouts of America. Many would rather their children have the ability to form friendships with other girls their age and take part in activities that will set them up for the future. At the time of writing, the Girl Scouts of America cites a membership of 2.6 million, 500,000 of which are Catholic.
Criticisms of the Boy Scouts
The Girl Scouts of America and the Boy Scouts of America have traditionally been separate organizations, with each handling certain ideas and activities better than the other. However, the Boy Scouts elected to drop “Boy” from their name and become the “Scouts BSA.” Along with this change, the organization will now allow girls to join.
Many girls have supported this decision, eager to have the chance to become Eagle Scouts and take part in some of the more intense camping trips and hikes that Boy Scouts can participate in. Equally as many people have lashed out with a surprising (and excessive) amount of vitriol.
Feminist organizations have lambasted the Boy Scouts for their decision. Some outlets claim that the decision is not a win for women, but rather a ploy to boost membership. Few places focus on the fact that membership is possible in both organizations simultaneously, that a girl can be both a Girl and a Boy scout. At some point, this kind of behavior raises the question: is this about the wellbeing of the girls, or the wellbeing of the Girl Scout’s finances?
The Future of Girl Scouts
The Girl Scouts is a long and time-honored organization, and despite the controversy it has encountered in recent years, many members still consider their participation a high point in their lives. The new badges make membership even more appealing for many young girls, but the activities can be taken a step farther.
There is no rule stating that a Girl Scout cannot also be a Boy Scout, and many young girls are joining both organizations. The science-based and art-based merit badges appeal to one side of their personalities, while the campouts and pinewood derbies appeal to another.
The growth and evolution of both groups promises to change the way young kids look at Scouts and result in better adults—something that one commenter said, “we need more of.”
The addition of new badges and journeys for Girl Scouts, as well as the ability for girls to join the Boy Scouts, speaks to a much more important issue than which club is better. It points to a healthy, long-needed step toward equality.
Photo: North Charleston/Creative Commons