EDITORIAL: Boy Scouts start membership war by admitting girls
This isn't your father's Boy Scouts anymore. That's not a bad thing.
The Boy Scouts of America made a watershed announcement Wednesday that it will accept girls as full-fledged scouts. Initially girls will be able to join Cub Scouts as part of girls-only "dens," and by next year a program will be established for older girls with a chance to reach the highest rank of Eagle Scout.
The official stance of the Boy Scouts of America is that the move reflects a growing demand among families to more meaningfully include girls (for many years an Explorer program offered limited participation to girls). BSA officials praised their own organization for unparalleled success in building leaders, success they say should be extended to girls.
The Boy Scouts wouldn't be doing this if there wasn't interest. Left unsaid, however, is a steadily declining membership that was a primary driver behind the move. The Boy Scouts, after all, haven't exactly adjusted to the modern era with arms wide open. The organization was long reluctant to accept gay members before doing so. Early this year it finally admitted transgender children who identify as boys.
But regardless of the motivations, the Boy Scouts' inclusiveness should be applauded. Yet the immediate public reaction has been mixed. The first question on most minds was also asked by President Trump, who tweeted, "Strange, I thought that's what the Girl Scouts was for???"
That is what Girl Scouts is for — sort of. But the Girl Scouts aren't just a female version of the Boy Scouts. The Girl Scouts of the USA is a separate organization with its own leadership and structure. The Boy Scouts may talk about responding to public input, but this decision is an undeniable threat to the Girl Scouts, who are themselves struggling to maintain membership numbers. The two organizations will compete for female members, and Girl Scouts officials have already lashed out at the Boy Scouts for their tactics.
They're not the only ones displeased. Traditionalists say membership declines are no reason to mess with what has worked for a century. Others say the Boy Scouts should have gone further by blending boys and girls throughout their programs.
The effects could get complicated. The Boy Scouts may attract some girls never much interested in scouting before, but if the Girl Scouts lose too many of their potential members, will that organization still be able to successfully serve those who are left? If not, will young girls find their scouting options diminished? And what of the Boy Scouts? Membership should grow with a larger pool of possible participants, but would some boys be turned off by the change?
The Boy Scouts should not be faulted for inclusiveness. But the organization could have been a bit less cutthroat about it. Reaching out to the Girl Scouts to cooperatively explore ways to increase overall membership, instead of pitting the two organizations against each other, would have been a better approach more in keeping with the values taught by both groups.